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IN  MEMORIAM 
FLOR1AN  CAJORI 


LETTERS 


ON 


SCIENTIFIC   SUBJECTS. 


"  I  am  fully  perswaded  that  our  countrie  is  not  inferiour  to  any  for  men  of  rare 
knowledge,  singular  explication,  and  exquisite  execution  of  the  artes  mathema- 
ticke,  for  what  strangers  may  be  compared  with  M.  Thomas  Digges,  Esquire,  our 
countryman,  the  great  master  of  archmastrie  ?  and  for  theoretical  speculations  and 
most  cunning  calculation,  M.  Dee  and  M.  Thomas  Heriotts  are  hardly  to  be 
matched." — The  Seaman's  Secrets,  by  John  Davis,  1594. 


f^tstorical  ^ocietp  of 


COLLECTION   OF   LETTERS 


ILLUSTRATIVE  OF  THE  PROGRESS 


OF 


SCIENCE    IN    ENGLAND 


FROM  THE  REIGN  OF 


QUEEN  ELIZABETH  TO  THAT  OF  CHARLES  THE  SECOND. 


EDITED  BY 


JAMES  ORCHARD  HALLIWELL,"  ESQ.,  F.R.S., 

F.S.A.,  F.R.A.S.,  &c.  &c.  &c. 


LONDON: 
PRINTED  FOR  THE  SOCIETY, 

BY  R.  AND  J.  E.  TAYLOR,  RED  LION  COURT,  FLEET  STREET. 
M.DCCC.XLI. 


tol  J 


c,      •• 


THE 

HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  SCIENCE. 

1840-41. 


PRESIDENT. 

HIS   ROYAL   HIGHNESS  THE  DUKE   OF   SUSSEX, 
K.G.,  K.T.,  G.C.H.,  D.C.L.,  F.R.S.,  &c.,  &c.,  &c.,  &c. 

VICE-PRESIDENTS. 

THE  RIGHT  HON.  THE  EARL  OF  MUNSTER,  F.R.S. 
THE  RIGHT  HON.   LORD  HOLLAND,,  F.R.S. 
THE  RIGHT  REV.  THE  LORD  BISHOP  OF  DURHAM,  F.R.S. 
SIR  ROBERT  HARRY  INGLIS,  BART.,  M.P.,  LL.D.,  F.R.S. 
SIR  GEORGE  T.  STAUNTON,  BART.,  M.P.,  D.C.L.,  F.R.S. 
THE  RIGHT  HON.  SIR  LANCELOT  SHADWELL,  V.C. 

COUNCIL. 

CHARLES  PURTON  COOPER,  ESQ.  Q.C.,  D.C.L.,  F.R.S.,  F.S.A. 

THOMAS  STEPHENS  DAVIES,  ESQ.  F.R.S.  L.  &  E.,  F.S.A.  Pro- 
fessor of  Mathematics  at  the  Royal  Military  Academy,  Woolwich. 

AUGUSTUS  DE  MORGAN,  ESQ.  V.P.R.A.S.  Professor  of  Mathematics 
at  University  College,  London. 

JAMES  ORCHARD  HALLIWELL,  ESQ.  F.R.S.,  F.S.A.     Sec.  8f  Treas. 

REV.  JOSEPH  HUNTER.  F.S.A.,  F.R.A.S. 

SIR  FRANCIS  PALGRAVE,  K.H.,  F.R.S. 

THOMAS  JOSEPH  PETTIGREW,  ESQ.  F.R.S.,  F.S.A.,  F.L.S. 

REV.  BADEN  POWELL,  M.A.,  F.R.S.  Savilian  Professor  of  Geometry, 
Oxford. 

SIR  J.  GARDNER  WILKINSON,  F.R.S.,  M.R.S.L.,  F.G.S. 

REV.  ROBERT  WILLIS,  M.A.,  F.R.S.  JacJcsonian  Professor  of  Natural 
and  Experimental  Philosophy,  Cambridge. 

THOMAS  WRIGHT,  ESQ.  M.A.,  F.S.A. 

JAMES  YATES,  ESQ.  M.A.,  F.R.S.,  F.G.S. 


918191 


PREFACE. 


THE  contents  of  the  present  volume  are  so  very 
miscellaneous,  that  it  would  be  a  difficult  task  to 
give  a  satisfactory  analysis  of  them  within  the  limits 
of  a  few  pages.  Perhaps  it  may  be  sufficient  to  state 
that  the  Editor  has  endeavoured  to  form  such  a  collec- 
tion of  early  letters  on  scientific  subjects  as  would  be 
likely  to  assist  any  future  author  of  a  critical  history 
of  English  science,  and  that  from  the  very  limited 
number  of  such  letters  which  now  remain  he  has  at- 
tempted a  selection  which  he  thinks  will  be  consi- 
dered a  valuable  addition  to  the  few  materials  of  this 
class  already  published.  The  libraries  of  the  British 
Museum,  Sion  College,  Lambeth,  and  Oxford  have 
been  found  to  contain  documents  suitable  for  this 
purpose,  and  the  reader  will  find  that  the  following 
volume  includes  letters  from  all  these  depositaries. 

To  the  cursory  reader  any  illustration  of  the  pro- 
gress of  science  in  this  country  during  the  reign  of 
Elizabeth  will  be  a  novelty ;  and  even  those  who  have 
paid  more  particular  attention  to  the  subject  will,  we 
think,  be  surprised  to  find  scientific  correspondence 


Vlll  PREFACE. 

of  so  early  a  date  still  preserved.  Thanks  to  the 
venerable  Lord  Burghley,  a  few  fragments  are  still 
preserved,  which,  though  often  individually  of  no 
great  importance,  are  very  curious  illustrations  of 
the  state  of  English  science  at  that  period.  For 
instance,  the  letter  of  Emery  Molineux  to  Lord 
Burghley,  printed  at  p.  37,  is  in  itself  of  little  in- 
terest or  value ;  but  when  joined  with  the  fact  that 
it  is  the  only  known  memorial  respecting  one  who 
was  distinguished  as  the  first  mathematical  instru- 
ment-maker* of  his  day,  it  becomes  a  document  at 
once  curious  and  valuable,  and  well  worthy  of  pre- 
servation in  an  available  form. 

Before  the  publication  of  a  very  able  and  interest- 
ing paper  on  the  early  English  mathematical  and 
astronomical  writers  in  the  Companion  to  the  British 
Almanac  for  1837,  written  by  Professor  De  Morgan, 
nothing  had  been  attempted  towards  even  a  connected 
sketch  of  the  scientific  labours  of  our  countrymen 
during  the  latter  half  of  the  sixteenth  century.  "Far 
from  having,"  says  Professor  De  Morgan,  "  such  a 
work  as  those  of  Montucla  or  Delambre  in  our  lan- 
guage, we  have  not  even  a  chronological  compendium 
like  that  of  Weidler,  Heilbronner,  or  Gerard  Vossius." 
But  necessarily  imperfect  in  its  details  as  Prof,  de  Mor- 
gan's sketch  is,  yet  it  may  fairly  rank  with  its  conti- 
nental companions,  and  gives,  we  may  safely  say,  a 

*  Davis,  in  the  Seaman's  Secrets,  4to.  Lond.  1594,  bestows  the 
like  praise  upon  him.  According  to  Maunsel's  Catalogue  he  was 
the  author  of  a  treatise  on  the  use  of  the  globes,  but  I  have  never 
been  fortunate  enough  to  meet  with  a  copy. 


PREFACE.  IX 

correct  and  impartial  account  of  almost  every  work 
that  holds  any  importance  either  among  the  discove- 
ries or  mere  elementary  assistances  of  science.  If  we 
add  to  this,  three  articles  in  the  Magazine  of  Popular 
Science,  by  the  Editor  of  this  volume,  we  shall  have 
enumerated,  we  believe,  every  published  contribution 
to  the  subject.  It  may,  however,  be  mentioned,  that 
Mr.  Hunter  discovered  that  John  Field  and  John 
Dee  adopted  the  Copernican  system  as  early  as  1556  ; 
and  Professor  De  Morgan  has  shown  that  Robert 
Recorde  was  a  convert  to  the  heliocentric  theory  at 
nearly  the  same  period.  But  these  discoveries  seem 
to  have  attracted  little  attention  from  scientific  men, 
either  on  account  of  that  lamentable  apathy  towards 
matters  of  history  which  is  too  frequently  character- 
istic of  the  lover  of  demonstration,  or  perhaps,  let  us 
hope,  from  a  want  of  some  general  channel  of  com- 
munication, such  as  the  Historical  Society  of  Science 
now  affords. 

The  letters  of  Sir  Charles  Cavendish,  which  are, 
with  two  or  three  exceptions,  now  published  for  the 
first  time,  will,  we  think,  enable  the  reader  to  form  a 
tolerably  correct  idea  of  the  extent  to  which  the  study 
of  analytical  science  was  then  carried  in  England.  If 
we  give  a  glance  at  the  state  of  this  branch  of  science 
a  short  time  anterior  to  that  period,  we  shall  be  rather 
at  a  loss  to  account  for  the  number  and  success  of  its 
English  cultivators,  who  seern  to  have  arisen  on  a 
sudden  and  at  the  same  time  with  efforts  sufficient  to 
produce  works  equalling,  if  not  surpassing,  those  of 
their  continental  neighbours. 


X  PREFACE. 

Robert  Recorde  may  be  considered  as  the  founder  of 
analytical  science  in  England.  The  author  of  the 
first  English  work  on  algebra  (1557)  has  not,  how- 
ever, as  might  have  been  expected,  produced  a  mere 
elementary  compilation,  but  a  work  that  ranks,  for 
originality  and  depth,  with  the  ablest  foreign  contem- 
porary productions  on  the  same  subject.  What  is 
rather  inexplicable,  this  book  by  Recorde  appears  an 
oasis  in  a  century  deficient  in  this  science,  and  no 
Englishman  is  known  to  have  pursued  the  study  of 
algebra  to  an  equal  extent  before  the  time  of  Harriot. 
With  the  exception  of  a  trifling  essay  by  Thomas 
Digges  in  the  Stratioticos,  and  a  few  memoranda  in  a 
MS.  of  Blagrave's  in  Lambeth  Palace*,  we  scarcely 
know  of  anything  connected  with  this  branch  of 
science  that  is  worthy  of  notice,  and  even  these  in- 
clude only  the  simplest  elementary  principles. 

It  is  somewhat  remarkable  that  this  dearth  of  ana- 
lytical science  was  not  the  result  of  a  prejudice  in 
favour  of  the  geometry  of  the  ancients.  We  have, 
it  is  true,  an  elaborate  edition  of  Euclid  by  Dee  and 
Billingsley,  but  with  this  the  taste  for  geometry  ap- 
pears to  have  expired.  We  do  not  find  that  Harriot 
and  the  contemporary  English  analysts  were  fettered 
by  a  prejudice  in  favour  of  the  old  geometry,  such  as 
for  a  length  of  time  pervaded  the  writers  of  the  con- 
tinent; although,  indeed,  it  appears  from  Harriot's 

*  This  is  No.  280,  which  is  classed  anonymously  in  the  printed 
catalogue.  Blagrave  has  given  in  this  volume  the  well-known  al- 
gebraic question  relating  to  the  cocks  of  a  cistern,  besides  several 
astronomical  notes.  It  appears  that  Blagrave  studied  under  John 
Field,  whom  we  have  mentioned  above. 


PREFACE.  XI 

papers  in  the  British  Museum  that  he  was  well  ac- 
quainted with  Pappus  and  other  geometrical  works 
which  had  then  been  recently  published  abroad. 
There  is  a  remarkable  note  of  Sir  Charles  Cavendish 
at  p.  84,  who  says,  "  Dr.  Jungius  prefers  the  analitics 
of  the  ancients  before  Vieta's  by  letters,  which  he  saies 
is  more  subject  to  errors  or  mistakes,  though  more 
facile  and  quick  of  dispatch,  but  I  conceive  not  yet 
whye."  This  serves  to  show  that  the  ro^og  avaXvopwog 
of  the  Alexandrian  school  still  held  its  sway  in  the 
minds  of  foreign  mathematicians,  notwithstanding  the 
writings  of  Vieta  and  Descartes  ;  but  we  find  no  traces 
in  this  country  of  its  influence  over  the  new  analysis 
before  the  time  of  Robert  Simson,  that  is,  nearly  a 
century  afterwards. 

The  science  of  the  seventeenth  century  possessed 
one  feature  which  is  now  obsolete,  and  which  pro- 
bably contributed,  in  a  great  measure,  to  preserve 
and  foster  a  taste  for  analytics.  We  allude  to  the 
practice  of  publicly  proposing  problems  for  solution 
— a  kind  of  challenge  from  individuals  to  the  science 
of  all  Europe — and  thus  exciting  an  emulation  which, 
perhaps,  would  otherwise  not  have  been  felt.  The 
superiority  of  the  new  analysis  over  the  ancient  geo- 
metry was  soon  acknowledged,  and  although  some 
questions  were  required  to  be  solved  geometrically, 
yet  mathematicians  soon  evinced  their  dislike  to  a 
system  of  attaining  by  a  long  and  tedious  method 
that  which  was  often  capable  of  speedy  and  easy  re- 
solution by  another  analysis.  Specimens  of  these 
challenges  are  preserved  among  Pell's  papers  in  the 


Xll  PREFACE. 

British  Museum,  printed  on  narrow  slips  of  paper, 
and  evidently  intended  to  be  pasted  pro  bono  publico 
in  conspicuous  situations.  We  have  little  doubt  that 
the  celebrated  problem,  generally  known  as  Colonel 
Titus's  problem,  was  originally  proposed  in  this  man- 
ner. We  have  already  intimated  that  this  problem 
is  attributed  to  the  wrong  person*,  and  we  have  since 
discovered  a  note  in  MS.  Birch,  4411,  which  ex- 
pressly states  that  it  was  "  put  by  Colonel  Titus,  who 
had  received  it  from  Dr.  Pell."  The  problem  in  the 
most  general  form  is  as  follows  : 

a*  +  bc=a  (in 

b2  +  a  c  =  j3  (2)  I  to  find  a,  b,  and  c. 

c2  +  a&  =  7(3)J 

Collins  has  given  a  solution  which  occupies  four- 
teen closely  written  folio  pages,  and  the  more  modern 
solutions  have  not  been  comprised  in  a  much  shorter 
compass.  Wallis's  solution  is  in  the  same  manu- 
script. Pell,  however,  criticises  Collins's  solution 
very  severely,  and  ridicules  him  for  not  observing 
that  the  roots  will  admit  both  of  positive  and  nega- 
tive values. 

The  problem  is  generally  given  with  numerical  va- 
lues for  a,  |3,  and  y,  and  the  only  possible  chance  of 
a  short  solution  is  a  case  in  which  these  numbers 
bear  some  definite  relation  to  each  other,  so  as  to  ob- 
tain an  equation  independent  of  the  given  quantities. 
For  instance,  Pell  gives  one  wherein  a  =  15,  |3  =  16, 

*  Life  of  Sir  Samuel  Morland,  p.  28.—"  From  No.  4413,  fol.  24, 
it  appears  that  the  problem  generally  ascribed  to  Colonel  Titus  was 
proposed  to  Pell  in  1 649  by  William  Brereton,  who  very  probably 
had  it  from  Harriot." 


PREFACE.  Xlll 

y=  17,  in  which  case  the  problem  remains  in  the 
same  position  as  before  with  regard  to  a  solution  ; 
but  it  is  singular  that  Pell's  ingenuity  should  not 
have  suggested  another  method  of  solution  in  the 
case  which  he  gives  where  a  =  7,  /3  =  7,  y  =  1 1.  In 
this  case  we  have 

a2  —  &2  =  a  c  -  b  c  =  c  (a  —  b) 
or,  a  +  b  =  c. 

It  is  unnecessary  to  pursue  this  any  further,  for  by 
substituting  this  value  of  c  in  (3)  and  (2),  and  add- 
ing the  two  equations  together,  we  obtain  2  (a+&)2 
=  18,  or  c  =  3.  The  values  of  a  and  b  are  1  and  2 
respectively,  and  this  is,  perhaps,  the  simplest  case 
which  could  be  selected. 

To  return  to  the  contents  of  our  volume.  The 
notes  of  inventions  of  Ralph  Rabbards  at  p.  7,  may 
be  noticed  as  somewhat  similar  to  the  far-famed 
"  Century  of  Inventions"  of  the  Marquis  of  Wor- 
cester. The  number  of  such  proposals  is  great,  and 
several  seem  to  include  discoveries  generally  consi- 
dered as  belonging  to  a  more  modern  period*.  The 
letter  of  Tycho  Brahe,  at  p.  32,  may  be  mentioned 
as  a  curious  notice  of  the  intercourse  between  the 
mathematicians  of  this  and  foreign  countries.  The 
letters  of  Thomas  Lydyat  are  more  valuable  for  bio- 

*  For  instance,  Sir  Samuel  Morland's  Tuba  Stentorophonica  may 
have  been  anticipated  by  Henry  Reginald,  who,  in  the  year  1603, 
dedicated  a  book  of  inventions  to  King  James,  among  which  was 
one  "  to  convey  the  voice  for  a  thousand  paces  without  showing  any 
one  near  you  were  talking." — MS.  Birch,  4384. 


XIV  PREFACE. 

graphy  than  the  history  of  science  ;  and  yet  we  think 
that  they  will  be  acceptable  to  the  lover  of  familiar 
history.  Similar  remarks  may  be  made  of  others*. 

In  the  appendix  to  Dr.  Vaughan's  ''Protectorate 
of  Oliver  Cromwell,"  are  printed  several  letters  from 
Pell's  MS.  collections,  a  few  of  which  we  have  found 
it  necessary  to  reprint  in  this  work.  Unfortunately 
no  references  whatever  are  given  to  the  places  whence 
these  letters  are  taken,  and  amidst  the  very  numerous 
volumes  which  compose  Pell's  collections,  it  is  no 
easy  matter  to  find  the  deposit  of  any  particular  one. 
Owing  to  this  arrangement,  we  have  been  quite  un- 
able, although  we  have  spared  no  exertions,  to  find  the 
original  of  a  very  curious  letter  which  Dr.  Vaughan 
has  printed  at  p.  347.  It  is  written  by  Dr.  Pell,  and 
dated  Oct.  12th,  1642;  and  we  are  unwilling  to 
neglect  the  opportunity  of  extracting  the  following 
passage : — 

"  I  can  hear  of  nothing  of  Vieta's  in  manuscript  in  England, 
but  such  pieces  of  his  as  are  already  printed,  and  were  trans- 
cribed for  the  most  part  out  of  the  printed  books,  because 
they  could  not  be  had  for  money.  Here  is  also  a  manuscript 
of  his  not(B  priores  ad  logisticen  speciosam,  transcribed  many 
years  ago  at  Paris  out  of  a  written  copy ;  but  since  that  time, 
le  Sieur  de  Beaugrand  hath  caused  it  to  be  printed  in  24mo. 
at  Paris,  anno  1631,  with  a  few  notes  of  his  own  thereon.  It 

*  We  have  neglected  to  say  in  the  proper  place  (p.  31),  that  "  a 
copie  of  the  speache  made  by  the  mathematicall  lecturer  unto  the 
worshipfull  company  present,  at  the  house  of  the  worshipfull  Mr. 
Thomas  Smith,"  was  published  at  London  in  1588,  small  4to.  From 
the  title-page  to  his  treatise  on  the  Cross-staf,  it  appears  that  Hood 
was  mathematical  lecturer  in  1596  ;  but  in  his  work  on  the  Sector, 
published  in  1598,  this  title  is  omitted.  We  also  omitted  to  remark, 
that  from  MS.  Harl.  7523,  fol.  206,  it  appears  that  Pell  in  1650  had 
a  design  of  publishing  commentaries  on  the  works  of  Descartes. 


PREFACE.  XV 

is  true  I  have  in  mine  own  hands  an  imperfect  astronomical 
manuscript  of  six  sheets  of  paper,  entitled  Hypothesis  Fran- 
celidinis,  said  to  be  a  piece  of  a  great  work  of  Vieta's,  called 
by  him  Harmonicum  Coeleste,  which  may,  perhaps,  be  found 
complete  in  France,  whence  mine  came.  I  have  been  told 
here  that  the  Englishman  that,  at  the  time  of  Vieta's  death, 
served  him  as  a  scribe,  under  the  counterfeit  name  of  John 
Poltrier,  being  kindly  offered  by  Vieta's  heirs  to  take  what  he 
pleased  to  keep  as  a  remembrance  of  him,  took  not  a  leaf  of 
any  of  his  writings.  And  Thuanus  tells  us  that  the  heirs  did 
put  all  his  papers  in  the  hands  of  Peter  Alelmus  of  Orleans. 
I  never  enquired  whether  this  Peter  were  the  father  to  Jaco- 
bus Alelmus,  the  French  king's  engineer ;  from  whom,  four- 
teen years  after  Vieta's  death,  Alexander  Anderson  acknow- 
ledgeth  that  he  had  those  two  tracts,  de  tequationum  recogni- 
tions et  emendatione,  which  he  first  published  at  Paris,  anno 
1615.  And  though  it  is  likely  that  Monsieur  Aleaume  (for 
so  I  think  the  French  call  him)  be  now  dead,  yet  I  hope  a 
diligent  enquirer  may  learn  who  was  his  heir,  and  what  is 
become  of  Vieta's  Adversaria." 

We  consider  this  a  most  important  testimony  in 
favour  of  Nathaniel  Torporley,  who,  according  to 
Anthony  a  Wood,  attacked  Vieta  under  the  name 
of  Poultry.  We  now  see  the  truth  through  Wood's 
mistake, — a  mistake  that  has  puzzled  Professor  Ri- 
gaud  and  other  writers  on  the  scientific  history  of  this 
period.  Perhaps  Poltrier  may  be  a  mistake  for  Pol- 
troyer,  and  intended  for  an  anagram  of  tbe  name  of 
Torporley.  This  letter  is  also  curious  for  the  men- 
tion of  Vieta's  Harmonicon  Cceleste,  which  has  been 
but  recently  discovered,  and  is  now  in  the  course  of 
publication  at  Paris  by  M.  Libri. 

We  cannot  conclude  these  few  memoranda  without 
offering  our  respectful  thanks  to  His  Grace  the 
Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  who,  with  the  greatest 
liberality,  has  afforded  us  every  facility  for  consulting 
the  manuscripts  in  the  library  at  Lambeth  Palace. 


XVI  PREFACE. 

The  Historical  Society  of  Science  is  indebted  to 
J.  H.  C.  Wright,  Esq.,  of  St.  John's  College,  Cam- 
bridge, for  the  transcripts  of  several  of  the  letters 
contained  in  this  volume,  which  were  most  kindly 
presented  to  the  Society  by  that  gentleman,  whose 
zeal  and  knowledge  of  science  and  its  history  are  de- 
serving of  the  highest  praise. 

J.  O.  HALLIWELL. 

35,  Alfred  Place,  Jan.  15,  1841. 


CONTENTS. 


No.  Page 

1.  Richard  Eden  to  Lord  Burghley,  Aug.  1st,  1562      ...  1 

2.  Thomas  Digges  to  Lord  Burghley,  May  14th,  1574      .     .  6 

3.  Ralph  Rabbards  to  Queen  Elizabeth,  1574 7 

4.  Dr.  John  Dee  to  Lord  Burghley,  Oct.  3rd,  1574      ...  13 

5.  Humphrey  Cole  to  Lord  Burghley,  Dec.  4th,  1578  ...  18 

6.  Instructions  by  Dr.  John  Dee,  May  15th,  1580  ....  20 

7.  Stephen  Powle  to  Mr.  West      . 21 

8.  Lord  Burghley 's  memorial  concerning  Dr.  John  Dee's  opi- 

nion on  the  reformation  of  the  calendar 30 

9.  Thomas  Hood  to  Lord  Burghley 31 

10.  Tycho  Brahe  to  Thomas  Savelle,  Dec.  1st,  1590      ...  32 

11.  John  Bulkeley  to  Thomas  Harriot,  Feb.  28th,  1591 ...  34 

12.  Edmund  Jentill  to  Lord  Burghley,  Oct.  1st,  1594     ...  35 

13.  Inventions  by  Edmund  Jentill 36 

14.  Henry  Marshall  to  Lord  Burghley,  June  1st,  1595    ...  37 

15.  Emery  Molineux  to  Lord  Burghley,  1596 ib. 

16.  William  Lower  to  Thomas  Harriot,  March  4th,  1611    .     .  38 

17.  The  same  to  the  same,  April  13th,  1611 41 

18.  The  same  to  the  same,  July  19th,  1611 42 

19.  Thomas  Aylesburie  to  Thomas  Harriot,  April  15th,  1613 .  43 

20.  John  Rudston  to  Thomas  Harriot,  June  9th,  1615   .     .     .  ib. 

21.  Thomas  Aylesburie  to  Thomas  Harriot,  Jan.  19th,  1619   .  44 

22.  Thomas  Harriot  to  the  Duke  of  Northumberland,  June  1 3th, 

1619 45 

23.  Samuel  Turner  to  Thomas  Harriot 46 

24.  Henry  Briggs  to  Thomas  Lydyat,  July  llth,  1623    .     .     .  ib. 

b 


xviii  CONTENTS. 

No.  Page 

25.  Thomas  Lydyat  to  Henry  Briggs,  July  4th,  1623     ...  47 

26.  Thomas  Man  to  Thomas  Lydyat,  April  19th,  1625  ...  49 

27.  Thomas  Lydyat  to  Thomas  Man,  May  12th,  1625   ...  50 

28.  Thomas  Lydyat  to  Sir  Henry  Martin,  Oct.  17th,  1626      .  54 

29.  Henry  Briggs  to  John  Pell,  Oct.  25th,  1628 55 

30.  Thomas  Lydyat  to  Henry  Briggs,  Oct.  31st,  1628    ...  58 

31.  A  paper  on  the  weight  of  water  by  the  Duke  of  Northum- 

berland        59 

32.  Christopher  Potter  to  William  Boswell,  Mar.  28th,  1632    .  ib. 

33.  Thomas  Lydyat  to  William  Boswell,  April  4th,  1632    .     .  61 

34.  Thomas  Lydyat's  petition  to  Charles  the  First      ....  63 

35.  Thomas  Lydyat  to  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury     ...  64 

36.  Walter  Warner  to  Robert  Payne,  Oct.  17th,  1634    ...  65 

37.  Robert  Payne  to  Walter  Warner,  June  21st,  1635    .     .     .  ib. 

38.  Sir  Charles  Cavendish  to  Walter  Warner,  May  2nd,  1636.  66 

39.  The  same  to  the  same,  Sept.  2nd,  1636 .67 

40.  Robert  Payne  to  Walter  Warner,  Oct.  3d,  1636  ....  ib. 

41.  Thomas  Lydyat  to  Mr.  Rouse,  Aug.  2nd,  1638   ....  70 

42.  Nathaniel  Torporley  to   the   Duke   of  Northumberland, 

July  5th,  1632 71 

43.  Sir  Charles  Cavendish  to  John  Pell,  Jan.  8th,  1641  ...  72 

44.  The  same  to  the  same,  Feb.  5th,  1641 ib. 

45.  The  same  to  the  same,  June  26th,  1641 73 

46.  The  same  to  the  same,  July  24th,  1641  .     .     ;     .     .     .     .  ib. 

47.  The  same  to  the  same,  Nov.  20th,  1641 74 

48.  The  same  to  the  same,  Dec.  18th,  1641 ib. 

49.  Robert  Pink  to  Thomas  Lydyat,  Nov.  13th,  1641    ...  75 

50.  Sir  Charles  Cavendish  to  John  Pell,  Jan.  20th,  1644     .     .  76 

51.  The  same  to  the  same,  Jan.  31st,  1644 ib. 

52.  The  same  to  the  same,  March  26th,  1644 77 

53.  The  same  to  the  same,  July  26th,  1644 78 

54.  The  same  to  the  same,  Aug.  18th,  1644 79 

55.  John  Pell  to  Sir  Charles  Cavendish,  Aug.  7th,  1644      .     .  ib. 

56.  Sir  William  Petty  to  John  Pell,  Aug.  14th,  1644.     ...  81 

57.  Sir  Charles  Cavendish  to  John  Pell,  Aug.  26th,  1644   .     .  83 


CONTENTS.  XIX 

No.  Page 

58.  Sir  Charles  Cavendish  to  John  Pell 84 

59.  The  same  to  the  same,  Oct.  20th,  1644 85 

60.  The  same  to  the  same,  Nov.  16th,  1644 86 

61.  The  same  to  the  same,  Dec.  20th,  1644 ib. 

62.  The  same  to  the  same,  Dec.  27th,  1644 87 

63.  The  same  to  the  same,  June  27th,  1645 88 

64.  John  Pell  to  John  Leake,  Aug.  7th,  1645 89 

65.  Sir  William  Petty  to  John  Pell,  Nov.  8th,  1645   ....     90 

66.  Henry  Power  to  Sir  Thomas  Browne,  June  13th,  1646      .     91 

67.  The  same  to  the  same,  Feb.  10th,  1647 92 

68.  William  Oughtred  to  Mr.  Greatorix,  Dec.  19th,  1652  .     .     93 

69.  H.  Thorndike  to  John  Pell,  Dec.  23rd,  1652  .....     94 

70.  List  of  Mr.  Warner's  papers 95 

71.  Anthony  Thompson  to  John  Pell,  Nov.  22nd,  1658  .     .     .     ib. 

72.  Pell's  relation  of  a  meeting  with  Hobbes,  March  31st,  1662     96 

73.  Thomas  Brancker  to  John  Pell,  May  9th,  1666   .     .     .     .     97 

74.  The  same  to  the  same,  June  21st,  1666 98 

75.  The  same  to  the  same,  July  6th,  1666 99 

76.  Christopher  Sawtell  to  William  Lilly,  Aug.  6th,  1666  .     .101 

77.  Thomas  Brancker  to  John  Pell,  Aug.  17th,  1666     .     .    .  102 

78.  John  Pell  to  Moses  Pit,  June  3rd,  1668 103 

79.  Henry  Oldenburgh  to  Lord  Brereton,  Sept.  22nd,  1668    .  104 

80.  Michael  Dary  to  John  Collins,  Feb.  8th,  1675     .     .     .     .105 

81.  Note  on  solving  equations  by  John  Pell,  May  20th,  1675  .     ib. 

82.  John  Collins  to  Mr.  Oldenburgh,  May  25th,  1675   ...  106 

83.  Sir  Samuel  Morland  to  John  Pell,  May  13th,  1682  .     .     .107 

84.  Appendix 109 


LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS. 


RICHARD  EDEN  TO  LORD  BURGHLEY. 

[MS.  Lansd.  No.  101.  Art.  5.  Orig.] 

August  1st,  1562. 

only  searcher  of  mens  harts,  the  eternall  God,  I  take 
to  wytnesse  (right  honorable)  that  never  the  greefes  of 
adverse  fortune  (wherof  I  have  had  my  parte)  dyd  so  muche 
prostrate  my  mynde  and  pearce  my  harte  with  sorowes,  as 
the  understondinge  of  your  honours  favour  and  goodnesse 
towarde  me  in  your  lately  ernest  travaile  in  my  behalfe  (as  I 
was  informed  by  the  Mr  of  Savie)  hathe  rejoised  me  and  re- 
vived my  discouragied  spirites,  heretofore  no  lesse  languysshed 
for  lacke  of  suche  a  patrone,  then  nowe  encouraged  by  the 
favoure  of  suche  a  Maecenas,  as  I  have  just  cause  to  name 
your  honoure.  Syth  only  the  respecte  of  suche  vertues  as  it 
hathe  pleased  yow  to  thinke  commendable  in  me,  hath  moved 
your  honour  not  only  in  maner  to  seeme  carefull  for  me  howe 
I  maye  hereafter  with  quietnesse  spende  my  tyme  in  studie, 
as  is  my  most  desire ;  but  also  to  be  more  ernest  in  folow- 
ing  the  same,  then  I  might  without  presumption  demaunde, 
and  muche  lesse  without  desertes  dequire.  As  touchinge  the 
which  matter  (right  honourable)  as  it  was  no  parte  of  my  divise, 
but  suche  as  the  Mr  of  Savoy  had  then  in  hande,  as  I  sup- 
pose no  lesse  to  pleasure  hymselfe  and  his  frende  then  for 
£20  therof  to  be  lotted  to  me  for  an  earnest  penye  to  begyne 
the  booke  (as  he  saith).  Even  so  am  I  right  sorie  that  for 
so  smaule  a  matter,  and  not  so  favorable  a  sute  as  I  wolde 
have  wysshed,  not  only  your  honour  hathe  taken  suche 
paynes,  but  that  also  suche  contention  is  rysen  therof  be- 
twene  the  Mr  of  Savoy  and  Mr  Baptist  of  the  privie  chamber, 
that  by  reason  thereof  the  pardon  being  steyed  be  your  Ho- 
nour, the  younge  gentleman  his  kynsman  (as  he  hathe  in- 
formed me)  is  in  daungiour  of  his  lyfe.  But  under  your 

B 


LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS. 


honours  favour  to  speaks  playnelye 
that  her#  vliquid  Jatztl^y&'f  non  app 


as  I  thinke,  I  suppose 
apparet.     For  as  this  sute, 

for  dyvers  consyd£i;aitions?  at  the  first  dyd  not  greatly  like 
me,  y^t  iperj^vfeigej  h,i$ ;  emestnesse  therein,  for   the   safe- 
garde  of  his  kinsmans  life  and  gratifying  his  frendes,  I,  no 
lesse  willing  therin  to  do  hym  pleasure,  also  was  well  con- 
tented to  assent  to  his  request,  and  to  stande  to  his  appoynt- 
ment ;  not  suspecting  his  frendeshippe,  but  rather  commend- 
ing his  wysdome,  so  to  doo  for  his  frende  as  therwith  not  to 
forget  hym  selfe,  quid  nihil  sapit  qui  sibi  non  sapit.     But  if  at 
that  tyme  I  might  so  boldelye  have  presumed  uppon  your 
honours  favour,  as  by  your  ernestnesse  in  my  behalfe  I  nowe 
perceave  I  might  have   doune,  I  wolde   have  moved   your 
Honour  of  an  honester  sute  (for  a  lease  to  be  had  at  the 
Queenes  hands)  whereof  I  made  hym  privie,  and  wras  lorige 
sense  so  mynded  to  have  donne,  but   that  he  deterred  me 
frome  the  same,  alleaging  certen  commissionars  to  have  the 
doinges   therof,  and  that  therfore  no  suche  thing  might  be 
had  at  her  Majesties  handes:    albeit,  I  have  sythens  harde 
of  dyvers  that  have  obteyned  the  like.     Notwithstanding  (as 
in  my  former  letters  I  wrotte  to  your  honour)  my  meaning  is 
so  to  move  your  honour  hereof,  as  neyther  to  be  an  impor- 
tunate suter,  or  otherwise  to  thinke  the  same  to  be  folowed 
then  shall  seeme  good  unto  your  honour,  unto  whose  will  I 
submitte  myselfe  in  all  thinges ;    only  putting  your  honour 
in  remembruance  of  the  commodious  place  and  tyme  that  I 
nowe  enjoye  for  that  purpose :  for  the  contynuance  wherof,  I 
was  a  suter  unto  your  Honour  for  your  letters  unto  the  gen- 
tleman (my  frende)  in  whose  house  I  yet  remayne,  who  also 
being  one  that  favoureth  learninge  and  my  greate  frende,  and 
no  lesse  gladde  to  further  so  good  a  purpose,  is  well  willing 
the  rather  to  my  use  to  departe  frome  a  piece  of  his  commo- 
ditie,  in  suche  sorte  as  appeareth  by  the  byll  herein  inclosed. 
Whereof  further  to  advertyse  your  honour,  if  you  shall  so 
thinke  it  convenient,  he  will  himselfe  repayre  unto  your  ho- 
nour to  give  you  perfecte  informacion  of  alle   thinges  as 
touching  the  same.     And  wheras  the  Mr  of  Savoy e  tolde  me 
that  your  honour  sumwhat  doubted  that  the  booke  coulde 
not  be  translated  into  the  Englisshe  toonge,  I  assure  your 
honour   that   this  I  dare  saye  without  arrogancie,  that  to 
translate  the  variable  historie  of  Plinie  into  our  toonge,  I 
wolde  be  ashamed  to  borowe  so  muche  of  the  Latine  as  he 
dothe  of  the  Greke  ;  althowgh  the  Latine  toonge  be  accompted 
ryche,  and  the  Englysshe  indigent  and  barbarous,  as  it  hathe 
byn  in  tyme  past  muche  more  then  it  nowe  is,  before  it  was 
enriched  and  ampiyfied  by  sundry  bookes  in  maner  of  all 


LETTERS   ON   SCIENTIFIC   SUBJECTS.  3 

artes  translated  owt  of  Latine  and  other  toonges  into  En- 
glysshe.  And  it  is  not  unknowen  unto  your  Honour  that 
the  Latins  receaving  bothe  the  science  of  philosophic  and 
phisike  of  the  Grekes,  do  still  for  the  most  parte  in  all  ther 
translacions  use  the  Greke  names,  insomuche  that,  for  the 
better  underston ding  of  them,  one  Otto  Brumfelsius,  a  learned 
man,  hathe  writen  a  large  booke  intiteled,  Onomasficon  Medi- 
cine, where  he  hathe  these  woordes,  Res  ipsas  atque  artium 
vocabula,  scite,  apposite,  designateque  efferre,  atque  ad  Poly- 
cleti  regulam  (quod  aiunt)  exprimere,  res  est  non  minus  difficilis 
quam  gloriosa.  Quo,  nullum  studii  genus  majori  constat  mo- 
lestia.  Id  quod  in  causa  esse  reor,  quia  hodie  tarn  pauci  in  ea 
palestra  sese  exerceant,  fyc.  Agen,  it  is  not  unknowen  unto 
your  honour  that  ons  all  toonges  were  barbarous  and  needie, 
before  the  knowleage  of  things  browght  in  plentie  of  woordes 
and  names ;  wherby  it  maye  well  appease  that  men,  in  the 
first  age  of  the  worlde5  had  a  shorte  language  consistinge  of 
fewe  woordes,  which  ever  after  increased  by  the  knowleage 
and  invention  of  thinges.  Exercise  also  maketh  suche 
woordes  familier,  which  at  the  first  were  diificulte  to  be  un- 
derstode ;  for  children  at  the  first  (as  saithe  Aristotle)  caule 
all  men  fathers :  but  shortely  after  by  exercise  caule  them  by 
there  names.  And  I  have  learned  by  experience  that  the  mary- 
ners  use  manye  Englysse  woordes,  which  were  as  unknowen 
unto  me  as  the  Chaldean  toonge  before  I  was  conversant  with 
them.  It  maye  therefore  suffice  that  the  woordes  and  termes 
of  artes  and  sciences  be  knowen  to  the  professours  therof.  as 
partely  by  experience  and  partely  by  the  helpe  of  dictionaries 
describing  them  per  proprium  genus  et  differentiam,  as  the 
logitians  teache,  and  as  Georgius  Agricola  useth  to  do  in  the 
Germayne  toonge,  which,  as  well  in  that  parte  of  philosophic 
as  in  all  other,  was  barbarous  and  indigent  before  it  was  by 
longe  experience  browght  to  perfection.  But  not  to  trouble 
your  honour  any  longer  with  this  matter,  one  thinge  re- 
mayneth  wherof  I  wrolde  gladlye  have  certified  your  honour 
at  my  last  being  at  the  courte  at  Grenewich,  if  I  might  have 
had  convenient  accesse  unto  yow;  And  this  is,  that,  per- 
ceavinge  your  honour  to  take  pleasure  in  the  wonderfull 
woorkes  of  arte  and  nature  (wherin  doubtlesse  shyneth  the 
sparke  of  the  divine  spirite  that  God  hathe  gyven  you)  I  was 
then  mynded  to  have  delyvered  unto  your  honour  this  phi- 
losophicall  booke,  wherin  is  described  (as  appeareth  in  folio 
ij.)  so  excellent  and  precious  an  experiment,  wrought  by  arte 
to  the  similitude  of  the  universall  frame  of  the  worlde,  made 
by  the  omnipotent  and  greate  God  of  nature,  that  I  beleve 
the  like  wras  never  doonne  synse  the  creacion  of  the  worlde. 


LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS. 

And  maye  therfore   in   my  judgement  more  woorthely  be 
cauled  Michrocosmos ,  then  eyther  man  or  any  other  creature 
that  ever  was  made  of  corporall  substance.     Angelus  Poli- 
tianus  in  his  epistells  describeth  an  instrument  cauled  auto- 
maton made  in  his  tyme  in  the  citie  of  Florence,  observing 
the  exacte  moving  of  Primum  Mobile  and  Octava  Sphcera, 
with  also  the  movinges  of  the  7  planetes  in  there  spheres,  in 
all  poyntes  agreable  to  there  moving  in  the  heaven.     Of  the 
like  instrument  also  our  Roger  Bacon  wrotte  longe  before  in 
his  booke  de  Mirabili  pot  estate  artis  et  naturae*,  where  he 
writeth  in  this  maner,  Majus  omnium  figurationum  et  rerum 
figuratarum  est,  ut  cceleslia  describerentur  secundum  suas  lon- 
gitudines  et  latitudines  in  fiaura  corporali,  qua  moventur  cor- 
poraliter  motu  diurno,  et  hose  valere[n\t  regnum  \unum~\  ho- 
mini  sapienti,  ^c.     The   which   instrument  doubtlesse,  all- 
thowgh  it  be  of  a  divine  invention,  yet  dothe  this  Michrocos- 
mos  so  far  surmount  it,  as  nature  passeth  arte,  and  as  motus 
animalis  passeth  motus  violentus,  for  as  the  other  is  moved 
only  by  waight  or  wynde  inclosed  (as  is  scene  in  clockes  and 
organs)  so  is  this  moved  by  the  same  spirite  of  life,  wherby 
not  only  the  heaven,  but  also  all  nature,  is  moved:  whose 
mover  is  God  hymselfe,  as  saithe  St.  Paule,  Ipsus  est  in  quo 
vivimuSy  movemur,  et  sumus;    as  also  Aristotle,  Plato,  and 
Philo,  in  there  bookes  De  Mundo,  do  affirme ;  and  especially 
Marcus  Manilius  in  Astronomicis  ad  Augustum  Caesarem, 
writing  thus : 

Hoc  opus  immensi  constructum  corpore  mundi, 
Membraque  naturae  diversa  condita  forma, 
Ae'ris  atque  ignis  terrae  pelagique  jacentis, 
Vis  animae  divina  regit ;  sacroque  meatu 
Conspirat  Deus,  et  tacita  ratione  gubernat,f  &c. 
Item  Lucanus : 

Acre  libratum  vacuo  quae  sustinet  orbem, 
Totius  pars  magna  JovisJ. 

And  wheras  the  autoure  that  describeth  the  Michrocosmos 
affirmeth  that  the  Chaos  therof  is  materia  Lapidis  Philoso- 
phorum  (which  is  also  Chaos,  vel  omnium,  vel  prima  materia 
mundi  majoris)  it  seemeth  to  agre  with  that  Cornelius  Agrippa 
hathe  written  in  his  seconde  booke  De  occulta  philosophia,  in 
scala  unitatis,  where  he  wryteth  thus :  Lapis  philosophorum 
est  unum  subjectum  et  instrumentum  omnium  virtutum  natura- 
C  Hum  et  transnaturalium,  $c.  And  that  this  greate  and  divine 
secreate  of  this  Michrocosmos  maye  not  seeme  incredible  unto 

*  Edit.  1542,  fol.  43,  v°. 

f  Manilii  Astronomicon,  lib.  i.  1.  247-251. 

J  Lucani  Pharsalia,  lib.  v.  1.  94-95. 


LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS.  5 

your  honour,  t  assure  you  that  I,  that  am  minimus  philoso- 
phorum,  dyd  long  sense  (as  I  have  to  wytnesse  Mr.  Thomas 
Whalley,  th'  elder  soonne  of  Mr.  Richard  Whalley)  woorke 
and  secreate  practise  sumwhat  like  unto  this,  in  maner  as 
foloweth* : — I  dissolved  two  substances  in  two  waters ;  then 
I  put  the  waters  togyther  in  a  glasse,  suffering  them  so  to 
remayne  for  a  tyme.  Then  I  stilled  of  the  water  from  the 
masse  or  chaos  lefte  of  them  bothe,  and  put  it  on  agen,  and 
so  dyd  dyvers  tymes.  In  fine,  the  masse  being  dissolved  in 
the  water,  I  let  it  rest  all  night  in  a  coulde  place.  In  the 
morning,  I  founde  swymming  on  the  water  and  in  the  myddest 
therof  a  little  round  iland,  as  brode  as  riall  or  sumwhat  more, 
with  at  the  least  a  hundreth  sylver  trees  about  an  ynche  high, 
so  perfectly  formed  with  trunkes,  stalkes  and  leaves,  all  of 
most  pure  and  glystering  sylver,  that  I  suppose  no  lymner 
or  paynter  is  able  to  counterfecte  the  like.  Then  shaking 
the  glasse,  all  fell  in  pieces  into  the  water,  and  filled  it  with 
glystering  sparkes,  as  the  firmament  shyneth  with  starres  in 
a  cleare  wynter  night.  Then  putting  the  glasse  to  a  softe  fyre 
uppon  warme  asshes,  all  turned  agen  into  clear  water,  which, 
agen  being  put  in  a  colde  place  all  night,  made  an  iland  with 
the  like  trees  as  before.  What  this  wrolde  have  been  in  fine, 
God  knovreth,  and  not  I !  But  of  this  I  am  sure,  that  if  the 
floure  or  learning  of  our  tyme,  and  sumtyme  tutor  and  bro- 
ther-in-law^ unto  your  honour,  Mr.  Cheeke,  had  scene  any 
of  these  two  secreates,  he  wolde  greatly  have  rejoysed.  As  I 
knowe  the  divine  sparke  of  knowleage  that  is  in  your  honour, 
partely  receaved  of  hym,  will  move  yow  to  doo  the  like,  sythe, 
to  a  philosophicall  and  vertuous  man,  there  is  nothing  so  de- 
lectable as  to  beholde  the  infinite  poure  and  wisdome  of  God 
in  his  creatures,  in  the  which  his  Deitie  is  not  only  visible, 
but  in  maner  palpable,  as  sum  philosophers  have  written.  * 
And  as  touching  these  matters,  I  have  red  a  marvelous  sen- 
tence in  an  olde  written  booke,  where  these  woordes  are 
written :  Qui  potest  facere  mediam  naturam,  potest  creare 
mundos  novos.  But  to  discourse  of  this  oracle,  or  to  inter- 
prete  the  same,  it  were  to  muche  to  molest  your  honour 
therwith :  and  an  argument  muche  meeter  for  a  seconde  So- 
crates then  for  me.  And  of  these  secreates,  writeth  Roger 
Bacon  in  his  booke  before  alleaged,  where  he  hathe  these 
woordes ;  Multa  sunt  archana  admiranda  in  operibus  artis  et 
naturae :  Quce  licet  multam  utilitatem  non  habeant  (habent  vero 

*  Cf.  Morieni  Roman!  de  re  metallica  librum,  4to,  Par.  1564,  p.  30,  et  Chrysippi 
Faniani  de  arte  metallicse  metamorphoseos  librum,  4to,  Par.  1560,  p.  17.  See  also 
Ripley's  "  Compound  of  Alchemy,"  where  may  be  seen  an  account  of  a  process  very 
similar  to  that  mentioned  by  Eden. 


0  LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS. 

maximum  ut  sapientibus  cognitum  esf]  tamen  spectaculum  m- 
effabile  sapientia  prabent  et  possunt  applicari  ad  probationem 
omnium  occultorum  quibus  vulgus  inexpertum  contradicit,  et 
judicat  fieri  per  opera  damoniorum,  §c. 

And  thus  most  humbly  desyring  your  Honour  to  pardon 
my  boldnesse  in  writing  unto  you ;  and,,  according  unto  your 
accustomed  clemencie,  to  accept  in  good  parte  this  my  pre- 
sumptuous attempte,  which  only  the  love  I  beare  to  your 
vertues  hathe  moved  me  unto,  my  trust  is  that  these  thinges 
shall  not  be  alltogyther  unpleasaunt  unto  your  honour,  other- 
wyse  occupied  in  greate  affayres  bothe  in  the  courte  and 
common  wealthe,  as  was  Plato  with  King  Dyonisius,  Ari- 
stotle with  greate  Alexander,  and  Cicero  Senator  and  Consul 
of  Rome. 

The  eternall  God  and  immortall  mover  of  the  greate  worlde 
and  the  lesse,  preserve  your  Honour  in  healthe  and  prospe- 
ritie  ! 

From  the  Folde  bysyde  Barnet,  the  first  of  August  1562. 
Most  bownde  to  your  honour, 

RICHARDE  EDEN*. 


THOMAS  DIGGES  TO  LORD  BURGHLEYf. 

[MS.  Lansd.  No.  19,  Art.  30.  Grig.] 

14th  May,  1574. 

Right  Honorable, — As  in  your  Lordshippes  nrame  astro- 
nomicall,  for  ornament  the  ffigures  of  the  most  notable  con- 
stellations in  this  our  visible  hemisphere  are  pourtrayd, 
adourned  with  ther  due  number  of  hevenly  lights ;  so,  in 
the  tables  adjoyninge,  are  impressed  sutche  numbers  as  de- 
liver by  methode  not  vulgare  the  situations  and  habite  which 


*  Richard  Eden  was  a  philosopher  of  good  repute  in  his  time.  He  translated 
into  English,  treatises  on  navigation  by  Cortes  and  Taisner,  the  former  of  which 
was  exceedingly  popular  and  went  through  several  editions.  He  is  also  the  author 
of  a  very  curious  little  book  entitled,  "  A  Treatyse  of  the  newe  India,"  1553,  8vo. 
At  the  end  of  this  letter  he  adds  the  following  sentences  in  Latin : — 1.  "  Tuae  D. 
addictus,  ah'os  nonquseropenates."  2.  "In  secretis  et  occultis,  secretus  et  occultus 
esto."  This  lattter  quotation  is  from  Hippocrates. 

f  Thomas  Digges  ranks  among  the  first  English  mathematicians  of  the  sixteenth 
century.  Although  he  made  no  great  addition  to  science,  yet  his  writings  tended 
more  to  its  cultivation  in  this  country,  during  the  reign  of  Elizabeth,  than,  per- 
haps, all  those  of  other  writers  on  the  same  subjects  put  together.  The  work  he 
alludes  to  in  this  letter,  if  a  printed  one,  is  probably  an  edition  of  his  father's 
work,  entitled  "  Prognostication  Everlasting,"  one  of  which  was  published  in  1574 
and  contains  an  addition  by  himself. 


LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS.  7 

our  moovable  horizon  and  meridian,  together  with  ther  ma- 
nifold configurations,  with  the  twoo  cheefe  lights.  Where- 
upon sundry  conclusions,  both  pleasant  for  varietye  of  know- 
ledge and  necessary  ffor  common  use,  are  grounded.  Wherof 
I  have  in  50  conclusions  digested  the  greater  part,  with  ther 
historyes  poeticall,  and  judgementes  astronomicalle ;  the 
which,  into  a  little  treatize  reduced,  I  am  bould  to  offer  unto 
your  Lordship,  hopinge,  ere  it  bee  longe,  to  ffinishe  a  columne 
sustayninge  a  regular  body  platonicall,  garnished  with  solar 
dialls,  sutche  as  I  thinke  hitherto  in  this  land  hath  not  beene 
scene,  to  bee  placed  in  soome  of  your  Lordshipps  gardeyns, 
as  aptly  serving  for  uses  diurnall  as  that  other  frame  for  con- 
clusions doon  by  night ;  whose  archetype  was  longe  sithens 
in  mind  conceyved,  and  have  now  at  the  last  also  attayned 
the  hand  of  an  hable  woorkman  to  exsequute  the  same  in 
ffoorme  materiall.  In  the  meane,  I  shall  humbly  desire  your 
Lordshipp  in  good  part  to  accept  this  triflinge  testimony  of 
a  carefull  mind  desirouse  soom  waye  to  signifye  the  reverent 
affection  I  have  and  shall  duringe  life  beare  toward  you,  no 
lesse  for  private  then  publike  respectes ;  Always,  as  becoometh 
mee,  restinge, 

At  your  Lordshippes  commandment, 

T.  DlGGES. 

To  the  right  Honorable  my  Lord  Burghley, 
the  Lord  highe  tresurer  of  England,  these. 


RALPH  RABBARDS  TO  QUEEN  ELIZABETH. 

[MS.  Lansd.  No.  121.  Art.  14.] 

A  coppie  of  notes  delivered  to  her  Majestie  by  Raphe 
Rabbards*. 

Speciall  breife  remembrances  of  such  moste  pleasante  ser- 
viceable and  rare  inventions  as  I  have,  by  longe  studdie  and 
chardgeable  practice,  founde  out,  the  whiche  I  holde  my- 
selfe  bounde  in  dutie  to  offer  with  this  learned  worke  unto  your 
Majestie,  as  the  firste  fruites  of  my  labor :  the  which,  or  any 
parte  thereof.  I  shal  be  reddy  to  performe  and  put  in  execu- 
tion, at  as  smalle  chardge  and  to  as  greate  purpose  as  any 
other  ingeniors  or  practitioners  of  Christendome,  when  it 
shall  please  your  sacred  Majestie  to  commaunde  me,  not  he- 
therto  performed  by  any  before  my  selfe. 

*  Ralph  Rabbards  is  not  a  name  that  has  much  relation  with  the  history  of  the 
science  or  literature  of  this  period.  He  edited  Ripley's  "  Compound  of  Alchemy," 
4to,  Lond.  1591. 


LETTERS  ON   SCIENTIFIC   SUBJECTS. 

All  kinde  of  waters  of  herbes  and  flowers  are  first  distilled  by 

discensory. 

Waters  of  purest  substance  from  odors,  flowers,  fruites, 
and  herbes,  wholsomest,  perfitest,  and  of  greatest  vertue, 
are  first  distiled  by  desensory,  depured  and  rectified,  clere  as 
christall,  with  his  owne  onlie  proper  vertue ;  taste,  and  odor, 
contynuinge  many  yeares.  One  spoonefull  is  better  then  a 
gallon  of  other  for  any  prynce,  or  noble  person,  or  any  that 
love  their  healthe;  for  medicyne  inward  or  outward  where 
other  doe  much  more  hurte  then  good,  beinge  unaptly  dis- 
tilled, and  invenomed  by  the  evill  quallitie  of  mettalyne  stilles, 
and  other  defectes. 

Simple  and  compound  waters. 

Water  for  odors,  moste  sweete  and  delicate,  of  many  seve- 
rall  kyndes,  bothe  simple  and  compounde. 

Water  ofvioletts  and  suche  like. 

Water  of  violetts,  jilly  flowers,  and  pinckes,  &c.,  contynue 
not  nor  reteyne  not  their  owne  proper  odors  and  vertues,  ex- 
cepte  they  be  distilled  very  cunningly  and  perfitly  by  desen- 
sory;  or,  their  odors  beinge  holpen  by  other  meanes,  they 
are  not  medicinable. 

A  precious  water  for  purifying e  and  preserving e  the  teethe. 

A  moste  precious  and  excellente  water  to  purifie,  preserve, 
and  fasten  the  teethe,  and  with  good  order  to  keep  them  that 
they  shall  never  decaye  nor  corrupte ;  moste  wholsome,  plea- 
sant, and  comfortable. 

A  principall  water  for  moste  outward  diseases  proceeding  e  of 
heate  and  colde. 

A  water  that  taketh  awaye  inflamations,  rumes,  swellinges, 
colde  greifes,  colde  gowtes,  aches,  and  other  paynes;  and 
healeth  dangerous  woundes,  ulcers,  sores,  and  the  hardest 
diseases,  with  greate  effecte  and  wonderfull  speede,  and  in 
myne  opinion  farre  exceedeth  the  farre  fetched  balmes. 

Water  for  the  eyes. 

Waters  for  the  eyes  prooved  of  many  as  well  for  preser- 
vinge  and  comfortinge  the  sighte,  as  to  restore  that  which  is 
lost. 


LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS.  9 

Water  to  make  the  skynne  and  fleshe  fay  re  and  brighte. 

Waters  to  dense  and  keepe  brighte  the  skynne  and  fleshe, 
and  preserve  it  in  his  perfitt  state. 

SPECIALL  OBSERVATIONS  CONCERNINGE  THE  PREPARA- 
TIONS FOR  FIREWORKES. 

An  excellent e  kinde  of  salt-peter  of  greate  force. 

Saltepeter  mighte  be  so  refyned  that  the  powder  made 
therof  mighte  be  of  double  the  force,  so  that  one  pounde 
maye  serve  as  manye  shotte  and  as  stronge  as  two  pounde 
of  that  that  is  comonly  used,  and  lesse  chardge  in  cariage ; 
and  many  other  wayes  apter  and  better  for  service. 

A  notable  peece  of  service  for  your  Majestic  and  the  Realme. 

That  saltepeter,  minerall  sulphur,  pitche,  aspaltum,  licqui- 
dion,  and  drye,  and  many  other  like  drugges,  mighte  be 
founde  in  the  domynions  of  your  Majestic,  which  we  wante 
and  paye  most  extreamely  for ;  and  God  knoweth  what  gayne 
and  glorie  mighte  redownde  to  your  Majestic  and  countrey, 
if  skilfull  and  honest  men  were  imployed  therein. 

Oyles  for  fireworkes. 

Oyles  bothe  simple  and  composed  to  be  distilled  for  fire- 
workes, there  is  none  to  be  boughte  or  had;  he  that  will  ha\e 
them  must  make  them. 

A  strange  kinde  of  flyinge  fire  many  wayes  serviceable. 

A  flyinge  fire  which  shall,  without  ordynance,  and  farre  of, 
wonderfully  annoy  e  any  battayle,  towne,  or  campe,  and  di- 
sperse even  as  if  it  did  rayne  fire ;  and  the  devydinge  fires, 
being  coted  and  made  flyinge,  maye  touche  many  places,  and 
leave  them  all  burninge;  very  terrible  both  to  men  and 
horse. 

A  tridant  or  mace  newly  invented. 

A  tridant  or  mace  for  many  notable  effectes,  bothe  for 
shotte,  and  to  sette  any  thinge  on  fire ;  a  very  apte  instru- 
mente,  and  moste  soldierlike  bothe  for  horsemen  and  foote- 
men. 

Balls  of  mettle  serving  to  many  purposes. 

Balles  of  mettle  to  throwe  into  shippes,  to  enter  in  campes 
in  the  nightes,  likewise  in  streightes  or  breaches,  especially 
in  battayles ;  and  to  have  the  said  balles  of  all  heightes,  dia- 


10  LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS. 

miters,  and  quantities,  of  a  righte  composition  to  devide  in 
as  many  partes,  and  of  such  thicknes  as  it  should ;  and  to 
delyver  a  thousand  at  once  amorige  the  enemy  es  with  small 
chardge  of  ordynance,  or  other  instrumentes,  and  to  powre 
as  much  fire  as  your  Majestic  will  upon  any  place. 

A  shotte  to  fire  in  passinge. 

A  shotte  for  greate  ordynance  to  pierce  deeper  then  any 
other  shotte,  and  sett  on  fire  whatsoever  it  strike  throughe 
or  sticketh  in.  A  moste  noble  ingen,  specially  for  sea  service. 

A  forcible  chariot t  for  service  defensive  and  offensyve. 

A  firy  chariott  with  horses,  suche  as  never  was  knowne  or 
hearde  of,  for  any  prynce  or  man  of  greate  valor  or  vertue  to 
be  in,  in  the  feilde  or  battayle. 

A  firy  chariott  to  be  fore?  d  by  engyne  of  greate  service. 

A  firy  chariott  without  horses  to  runne  upon  the  battaile 
and  disorder  it,  that  no  man  shal  be  able  to  abide  or  come 
nighe  the  same,  and  wil  be  directed  even  as  men  will  to 
tourne,  to  staye,  or  come  directly  backe  upon  any  presente 
danger,  or  elies  to  followe  and  chase  the  enemye  in  their 
flighte. 

Mynes  for  fireworke  to  worke  strange  effect  es. 

Mynes  of  fire  and  fireworke,  bothe  for  sea  and  lande,  to 
overthrowe  or  make  havocke  of  all  whatsoever  a  man  will 
destroy  e. 

A  meanes  to  better  the  use  of  small  artillery,  moste 
serviceable. 

To  make  that  smalle  shotte  shall  doe  greater  execution 
then  the  shotte  that  hath  hetherto  bynne  knowne ;  yet  where 
1000  are  nowe  shotte,  and  not  10  men  fall,  it  will  appeare, 
by  good  demonstration  and  experience,  that  10  shotte  of  1000 
shall  hardly  misse,  good  orders  beinge  observed. 

A  newe  invented  targett  of  proof  e. 

A  targett  of  proofe,  with  his  rest  and  loope  hole,  whereby 
men  are  notably  defended  and  encouraged  to  the  attemptinge 
of  manye  greate  matters  in  service.  Tenne  of  theis  targettes 
are  sufficiente  to  defende  an  hundred  shotte,  as  if  they  were 
behinde  a  walle. 


LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS.  11 

A  rare  invention. 

A  muskett  or  calyver,  with  dyvers  strange  and  forcible 
shotte,  which  no  armor  will  holde  out,  at  three  quarters  of  a 
mile  or  more ;  and  will  also  become  a  most  forcible  weapon 
in  the  hande,  as  good  as  a  pollox,  and,  with  a  teice,  become 
a  perfitt  shotte  agayne. 

An  armed  pike  most e  forcible. 

An  arme  pike  which  a  weake  man  maye  use  or  handle 
very  reddily  with  such  force  as  a  man  will  not  thincke,  and 
the  same  pike  will  also  become  a  very  good  shotte  at  all 
tymes.  But  when  they  come  to  the  very  pushe  they  be 
most  terrible,  bothe  the  shotte  and  the  weapon. 

An  engyne  of  notable  defence  for  the  safegard  of  mens  lyves. 

A  cariage  in  manner  of  a  walle  or  curteyne  to  defende  men 
from  shotte  in  approchinge  any  sconse  or  other  force,  and  wil 
be  transformed  into  as  many  severall  shapes  of  fortification  as 
men  will ;  and  also  be  as  tentes  or  lodginges  drye  above  heade, 
and  from  the  grounde,  and  also  very  offensyve,  and  of  greate 
fury ;  whereof  I  wishe  your  excellente  Majestic  were  furnished, 
but  as  secrette  as  I  could  keepe  them  in  myne  owne  harte 
for  some  greate  daye  of  service. 

A  speciall  peece  of  service. 

A  meanes  whereby  our  plowe-horses,  carte  jades,  and 
hackneys,  maye  be  made  to  doe  greater  service  in  our  owne 
countrey,  then  the  launces,  or  argulaters,  or  any  horsemen  of 
other  nations,  can  possibly  be  able  to  doe  in  their  ordinary 
services. 

The  rarest  engyne  that  ever  was  invented  for  sea  service*. 

A  vessell  in  manner  of  a  galley  or  galliotte  to  passe  upon 
the  seas  and  ryvers  without  oars  or  sayle,  against  wynde  and 
tyde,  swifter  then  any  that  ever  hath  bynne  seene,  of  won- 
derfull  effect  bothe  for  intelligence,  and  many  other  admi- 
rable exploytes,  almoste  beyonde  the  expectation  of  man. 


*  See  Rara  Mathematica,  p.  87.  William  Bourne  mentions  a  similar  invention 
of  his  in  the  Inventions  or  Devises  (Lond.  1578, 4to).  How  well  does  this  meagre 
description  suit  the  modern  steam-boat !  I  may  mention  here  that  the  invention  of 
paddle-wheels  is  ascribed  to  him  by  some  writers,  and  he  appears  to  consider  them 
as  a  new  invention  ;  but  there  is  a  drawing  of  a  boat  with  paddle-wheels,  precisely 
similar  to  our  modern  steam-vessels,  in  MS.  Harl.  3281,  fol.  43,  v°,  written  in  Italy 
in  the  fifteenth  century.  See  also  the  ff.  43,  r°,  51,  v°,  and  57,  r°,  of  the  same  MS. 


12  LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS. 

Matters  to  be  prepared  and  had  in  reddynes. 

Calibashes,  caces,  hollowe  tronckes,  and  other  instrumentes, 
of  smalle  chardge  and  greate  effecte  for  the  services  of  your 
Majestic  and  countrey  many  wayes,  which  have  bynne 
more  chardgeable  to  me,  then  they  would  be  to  your  Ma- 
jestic, if  good  order  mighte  be  taken  therein.  For  some 
workemen  have  taken  my  money,  and  have  spoiled  my  mo- 
delles  and  devises,  and  I  could  never  gette  my  money,  the 
ingions,  nor  yet  my  modelles  agayne,  and  the  devises  in  some 
sorte  made  publique,  which  I  woulde  have  kepte  secrette. 
But  if  it  pleased  God  to  put  into  your  royall  harte,  bothe  for 
his  owne  glorie,  the  glorie  of  your  excellent  Majestic,  and 
your  valiant  nation  and  subjectes,  to  erecte  some  academy, 
or  place  of  studdy  and  practice,  for  ingenious,  pollitique  and 
learned  men,  aud  apte  artificers,  as  in  a  corporation  or  bodie 
pollitique,  maintayned  partly  by  your  Majestic  and  partly  by 
your  nobillitie,  your  clergie,  and  your  comons,  for  theis  moste 
noble  effectes.  And  whereas  many  corporations,  societies  of 
artes,  faculties,  and  misteries,  have  bynne  erected,  founded, 
and  franchised,  with  many  honorable  guiftes,  liberties,  and 
freedomes,  by  your  Majesties  moste  worthy  progenitors,  but 
never  any  comparable  to  this,  in  glorie  to  your  Majestic 
and  the  safetie  and  comforte  of  your  countrey  and  people, 
which  every  vertuous  and  good  mynded  man  would  willingly 
further  and  maintayne  for  their  owne  good  and  safetie,  and 
to  the  perpetuall  glorie  of  your  Majestic,  and  your  feirce 
people,  and  valiante  nation,  that  ingenious  pollicies  mighte 
throughly  joyne  with  strength  and  valiant  hartes  of  men. 
The  which  I  referre  to  your  Majesties  moste  deepe  considera- 
tion, for  the  service  of  my  countrey,  holdinge  myselfe  here- 
by fully  every  waye  dischardged  in  dutie  bothe  towardes  your 
Majestic  and  my  countrey. 

Your  Majesties  moste  loyall  subjecte, 
and  faithfull  servant, 

RAPHE  RABBARDS*. 

*  The  writer  has  annexed  the  following  note  addressed  to  Lord  Burghley : — 
"  At  your  Honors  pleasure  and  leisure  I  shall  so  satisfie  your  Lordship,  that 

you  shall  not  doubte  of  the  performance  of  them,  which  none  shall  knowe  but  her 

Majestic  and  your  Honor." 


LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS.  13 

DR.  JOHN  DEE  TO  LORD  BURGHLEY*. 

[MS.  Lansd.  No.  19.  Art.  38.  Orig.] 

Right  honorable  and  my  singular  good  Lord, — Whereas  of 
late  your  honor  very  favorably  used  me,  considering  your 
mervailous  skantnes  of  leysor  from  very  waighty  matters  and 
publick  :  I  am  now,  therefore,  most  humbly  to  render  thanks 
to  your  honor.  Sins  which  tyme  I  have  som  whole  dayes 
attended  at  London,  hoping  for  your  lordship  comming 
thither.  And  on  fryday  last,  perceyving  your  honor  to  be 
almost  in  a  redines  to  ride  toward  the  court,  ere  I  could  get 
to  London  (after  I  hard  of  your  lordship  certayn  being  there) 
I  than  thowght  the  season  to  be  very  unfeete  for  my  purpose. 
Therfore  finding  your  Lordship,  at  all  tymes  of  usuall  access 
for  suters,  so  fraught  with  matters  of  more  importance  than 
any  of  myne  can  justly  be  deemed,  I  thowght  good  (with  your 
lordships  leave  and  favor)  thus  by  writing  to  enjoy e  one 
howre  of  your  lordships  leisour  (best  known  to  your  Lord- 
ship onely,  whan  that  is)  to  vew  the  pattern  of  som  part  of  my 
symple  sute :  which  hertofore  I  wold  gladly  have  opened 
unto  your  honor  by  word  of  mowth ;  and  that  is  this.  So 
much  of  my  intent  and  studious  doings  is  well  known  unto 
your  honor,  and  the  most  part  of  all  universities  in  Christen - 
dome  (and  farder) ;  that  for  this  xx.  yeres  last  past,  and 
longer,  it  may  be  very  truely  avowched  that  I  have  had  a 
mervailous  zeale,  taken  very  greate  care,  endured  great  tra- 
vayle  and  toyle,  both  of  mynde  and  body,  and  spent  very 
many  hundred  powndes,  onely  for  the  attayning  some  good 
and  certayn  knowledg  in  the  best  and  rarest  matters  mathe- 
maticall  and  philosophicall.  How  little  or  much  therin  the 
aeternall  God  hath  imparted  to  me  (for  my  talent)  He  onely 
best  knoweth.  But  certaynly  by  due  conference  with  all  that 
ever  I  yet  met  with  in  Europe,  the  pore  English  Bryttains 
(II  favorito,  di  vostra  Excellentia)  hath  carried  the  bell  away. 
God  Almighty  have  the  glory !  The  same  zeale  remayneth 
(yea,  rather,  greater  is  grown).  But  the  hability,  for  chargis, 
is  far  lesser ;  and  that  somwhat  occasioned  the  sooner,  throwgh 
my  frank  dealing  for  procuring  and  purchasing  speady  meanes 
of  good  knowledg.  Which  also  I  did  uppon  no  small  hope 


*  This  letter  has  been  partly  printed  by  Strype,  in  his  Annals  of  the  Reformation, 
vol.  ii.  App.  xlv.  The  conclusion  of  it  is  a  striking  example  of  the  little  attention  that 
was  paid  to  the  preservation  of  ancient  records ;  it  is  known,  from  Dr.  Dee's  well- 
known  memorial  addressed  to  Elizabeth  on  the  subject,  that  a  MS.  of  Cicero  "  De 
Republica"  was  even  as  late  as  the  sixteenth  century  preserved  in  the  library  of  Can- 
terbury cathedral. 


14  LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS. 

that  som  nedefull  supportail  wolde  be  for  me  (in  due  tyme) 
devysed :  eyther  throwgh  the  meer  and  gracious  good  favour 
that  I  was  perswaded  the  Q.  most  excellent  Majesty  did 
beare  unto  me,  or  els  throwgh  the  procurement  of  some  of 
the  right  honorable  cownsaylours,  which  both  right  well 
knew,  by  how  hard  dealing  my  father  Roland  Dee  (servant 
to  her  Majesties  father  the  most  renowned  and  triumphant 
King  of  our  age)  was  disabled  for  leaving  unto  me  due  mayn- 
tenance :  and  also  sufficiently  understode  of  sundry  sutes  in 
my  behalf  motioned,  for  some  ayde  toward  the  atcheving  of 
some  of  my  honest  intents.  Of  which  sutes  no  one  (hither- 
to) hath  taken  the  wished  for  success,  for  any  my  behofe. 
Nay,  in  the  mean  tyme  of  some  my  travayles  beyond  the  seas, 
unleast  your  honor  had  put  to  your  helping  hand,  I  had 
byn  defeated  of  that  little  exhibition,  which  I  enjoye ;  being 
but  borrowed  a  while,  by  speciall  priviledge  and  favor  extra- 
ordinary. And  that  unwillingly  un  my  part,  if  I  could  other 
wayes  have  had  the  supply  therof  in  like  yerely  value,  which 
(as  God  knoweth)  findeth  not  me,  and  my  pore  familie,  ne- 
cessary meat,  drink,  and  fewel,  for  a  frugall  and  philosophi- 
call  dyet.  But  if  I  may  (with  your  Lordships  favor)  speak 
as  I  think,  unfaynedly :  unleast  your  honor  had  supposed  that 
I  had  odly  committed  the  care  for  my  necessary  mayntenance 
unto  some  other  noble  cownsaylour  than  yourself:  veryly  I 
judge,  that,  long  ere  this,  your  honor  would  have  made  me 
to  have  tasted  of  that  mervaylously  famous  your  honorable 
constant  and  lucky  favour  and  benedicite  of  the  Court 
Royall ;  whereby,  may  have  bin  and  are  made  liable  to  dis- 
pend  of  their  owne  yerely,  thre,  fowre,  five,  &c.  of  hundred 

Eownds.  To  compare  with  any  of  them  in  desert  publik  or 
>rning,  I  neyther  dare,  nor  justly  can.  But  in  zeale  to  the 
best  lerning  and  knowledg,  and  in  incredible  toyle  of  body 
and  mynde,  very  many  yeres  therfore  onely  endured :  I  know 
most  assuredly  that  this  land  never  bred  any  man,  whose  ac- 
cownt  therin  can  evidently  be  proved  greater  than  myne.  I 
trust  that  this  my  simple  speche,  uttered  in  the  record  of  my 
conscience,  and  with  a  sincere  estimate  both  of  myne  and  my 
predecessors  doings,  will  not  seme  to  your  wisdome  arro- 
gantly vaunted ;  onely  God  can  make  the  perswasion  of  the 
truth  hereof  to  settle  into  the  bottom  of  your  lordships  hart. 
And  fearing  to  offend  your  honor  any  way,  eyther  with  rude 
homelyness,  or  with  superfluitie  of  wordes,  I  will  cut  of  all 
such  digressions  ;  and  committing  myself,  and  my  honest 
purposes,  wholy  to  your  Lordships  protection  and  direction 
henceforward,  I  beseche  your  honor  to  accept  my  faithfull 
good  meaning  toward  your  Lordship,  which,  dayly  and 


LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS.  15 

howerly,  will  (by  God's  grace)  appeare  unto  your  lordship 
more  and  more  abundantly.  Returning  now,  therefore,  to 
the  matter  wherof  I  last  (by  mowth)  spake  unto  your  honor, 
and  which,  also,  was  the  last  principall  point  of  my  spedy  letter 
than  delivered  to  your  Lordship, — As  concerning  thresor  hid. 
First,  it  may  pleas  your  lordship  to  consider  this  clause 
truely  by  me  noted  out  of  Theseus  Ambrosius,  fol.  206,  b. 
In  copiosa  ilia  Antonii  de  Fantis  Tarvisini  librorum  multitu- 
dine,  magnum  sanevolumen  repertumfuit,  in  quo  abdita  quam 
plurima,  et  satis  abunde  curiosa,  tarn  ad  philosophiam,  medi- 
cinam,  et  herbarum  notionem,  quam  etiam  ad  asirologiam,  geo- 
mantiam,  et  magiam,  pertinentia  continebantur.  Et  in  ejus 
pr&cipua  quadam  parte  tractabatur  de  thesauris  per  totum 
fere  orbem  reconditis  atque  latentibus,  quorum  admodum  clara 
atque  specified  notio  haberi  poterat,  fyc.  Secondly  out  of 
Henricus  Leicestrensis  (I  suppose)  it  is  noted,  in  the  sum- 
mary of  English  chronicles,  anno  1344,  of  a  Sarazin  comming 
than  to  Erie  Warren,  as  concerning  a  great  threasor  hid  in 
his  grownd,  in  the  Marches  of  Wales,  and  of  the  good  suc- 
cess therof.  Thirdly  (for  this  xx.  yeres  space)  I  have  had 
sundry  such  matters  detected  unto  me,  in  sundry  lands. 
Fowrthly,  of  late,  I  have  byn  sued  unto  by  diverse  sorts  of 
people,  of  which,  some  by  vehement  iterated  dreames,  some 
by  vision,  as  they  have  thowght,  other,  by  speche  forced  to 
their  imagination  by  night,  have  byn  informed  of  certayn 
places  where  threasor  doth  lye  hid;  which  all,  for  feare  of 
kepars,  as  the  phrase  commonly  nameth  them,  or  for  mistrust 
of  truth  in  the  places  assigned,  and  some  for  some  other 
causes,  have  forborn  to  deale  farder,  unleast  I  shold  corrage 
them,  or  cownsaile  them,  how  to  procede.  Wherein  I  have 
allways  byn  contented  to  heare  the  histories,  fantasies,  or  il- 
lusions to  me  reported,  but  never  entermeddled  according  to 
the  desire  of  such.  Hereof  might  grow  many  articles  of 
question  and  controversie  among  the  common  lerned;  and 
skruple  among  the  theologians  :  which  all  I  cut  of  from  this 
place,  ready  to  answer  onely  your  Lordship  most  largely,  in 
termes  of  godly  philosophic,  whan  opportunitie  shall  serve : 
making  small  accownt  of  vulgar  opinions  in  matter  of  so  rare 
knowledg :  but  making  allways  my  chief  reckening  to  do  no- 
thing but  that  which  may  stand  with  the  profession  of  a  true 
Christian,  and  of  a  faithfull  subject.  But,  if,  (besides  all 
bokes,  dreames,  visions,  reports  and  virgula  divina)  by  any 
other  naturall  meanes  and  likely  demonstrations  of  sympathia 
and  antipathia  rerum,  or  by  attraction  and  repulsion,  the  places 
may  be  discryed  or  discovered,  where  gold,  silver,  or  better 
matter,  doth  lye  hid,  within  a  certayne  distance  :  how  great  a 


16  LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS. 

commodity  shold  it  be  for  the  Cluenens  Majestic,  and  the  com- 
mon weale  of  this  Kingdome,  by  such  a  secret,  not  onely  threa- 
sor  hid  may  be  deciphered  in  precise  place :  but,  also,  it  may 
be  disclosed  where,  in  this  land,  any  mynes,  vaynes,  or  owre 
of  gold  or  silver  be  naturally  planted.  And  here  (by  the  way) 
I  must  note  unto  your  Lordship  the  name  and  argument  of 
one  strange  boke,  which,  in  old  tyme,  was  in  this  land, — PAN- 
DULPHUS  DE  MEATIBUS  TEBB^E  :  qui  cunctas  venas,  meatus, 
atqueaditussubterraneoSyConflexiones,  specus,antra  et  interiora 
latibula,  cavernulasque  terrarum,  porositates,  profunditates, 
concavitatesque  totius  s&culi  materialis,  et  ambitus  subtus  ter- 
ram  enumerat  singillatim.  So  that  by  this  and  the  former 
boke  it  may  appeare  what  manner  of  philosophers  and  ma- 
thematiciens  have  bin  in  tymes  past.  Conclusionally  than, 
in  respect  of  all  the  premisses,  one  part  of  my  present  sute 
unto  your  honor  is  that,  by  your  lordships  wisdome,  the 
Queens  Majestic  may  be  induced  to  think  somwhat  favorably 
(as  very  many  other,  noble  and  lerned,  of  forrayn  lands  do) 
of  my  great  travailes,  patience,  constancy,  costs,  and  credit, 
in  matters  philosophical!  and  mathematicall :  and  thereuppon, 
in  the  ende  of  my  carefull  race,  to  let  some  token  of  her  Ma- 
jesties royall  good  affection  precede  toward  me,  \vhome,  your 
lordship  knoweth  (or  may  know)  that  emperors,  kings, 
princes,  dukes,  marchises,  erles,  barons,  and  other  many 
men,  of  great  powre  and  magnificent  courrage,  have  sued 
unto  (in  my  tyme)  to  enjoye  my  simple  talent,  in  their  ser- 
vice or  company :  to  whome  all,  I  ever  have  given  answer 
(as  my  duety  was,  and  my  stomach  served  me  therto)  for  the 
honor  of  my  naturall  and  drad  soveraigne  (for  that  tyme) 
here  raigning.  Your  honor  knoweth  that  thresor  trouve  is 
a  very  casuall  thing :  and  of  which,  althowgh  the  prerogative 
of  the  Q.  Majestic  do  entitle  to  her  a  proprietie,  yet  how  sel- 
dome  her  Grace  hath  hitherto  receyved  any  commodity  ther- 
by, — it  is  to  your  honor  better  known,  than  unto  me.  But 
as  for  mines  of  gold  and  silver,  to  be  in  England  or  Ireland, 
many  have  written  and  reported  both  of  old  tyme,  and  latter: 
as  I  think,  your  honor  hath,  ere  this,  hard  abundantly  dis- 
coursed. The  value  of  a  myne  is  a  matter  for  a  King's 
threasor ;  but  a  pot  of  two  or  three  hundred  pownds,  &c., 
hid  in  the  grownd,  wall,  or  tree,  is  but  the  price  of  a  good 
boke  or  instrument  for  perspective,  astronomy,  or  som  feat 
of  importance.  And  truely  vulgar,  obscure  persons,  as  ho- 
siers and  tanners,  can  (by  colour  of  seking  assays  of  metalls, 
for  the  say  master)  enjoye  liberty  to  content  their  fantasies 
to  dig  after  dremish  demonstrations  of  places,  &c.  May  riot 
I,  than  (in  respect  of  all  the  former  allegations  of  my  pains, 


LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS.  I*J 

cost,  and  credit,  in  matters  philosophicall  and  mathematical!) 
yf  no  better  or  easyer  way  to  serve  my  turn  will  fall  to  my 
lot  from  her  Majesties  hands ;  may  not  I  than  (I  say)  be 
thowght  to  meane  and  intend  good  service  toward  the  Q. 
Majestie  and  this  realme,  if  I  will  do  the  best  I  can  at  my 
own  costis  and  chargis,  to  discover,  and  deliver  true  profe  of 
a  myne,  vayn,  or  owre  of  gold,  or  silver,  in  some  one  place 
of  her  graces  kingdoms  and  dominions,  to  her  graces  onely 
use ;  in  respect,  I  mean,  of  any  my  demaund  or  part  to  be 
had  therof.  But  uppon  this  comfortable  consideration,  that 
her  Majesty  do  frely  give  unto  me,  by  good  warranty  and 
assurance  of  her  letters-patents,  her  right  and  propriety  to 
all  thresor  irouve,  and  such  things  commodious,  as  (under 
that  name  and  meaning  comprised)  by  digging  or  search  any 
where,  in  her  graces  kingdomes  and  dominions,  I,  or  my  as- 
signes  shall  come  to,  or  finde :  and  with  all  good  warranty 
(for  my  indemnity)  agayn  all  laws  and  persons,  to  make  serch 
by  digging,  or  otherwise.  And  this  to  dure  the  terme  of  my 
life.  And  in  token  of  my  hart  fully  bent  to  shew  myself 
thankfull  to  your  lordship  for  compasing  eyther  of  these  two 
wayes  :  (I  mean  eyther  an  easyer  means  of  provision,  for  two 
hundred  pownds,  yerely,  during  my  life  :  or  this  casual  marts 
of  paynfull  search)  ;  before  God,  1  promise  unto  your  lord- 
ship (or  will  by  oth  uppon  the  Evangelists  be  bownde)  of  all 
thresor  trouve  (commyng  to  my  hands)  to  impart  unto  your 
lordship,  or  your  assignes,  the  one  half,  during  my  life. 
Moreover  your  Lordship  may  be  most  assured  that  any  no- 
table benefit  (throwgh  your  L.  meanes)  bestowed  uppon  me 
now  in  the  very  pynch  and  opportunytie,  shall  not,  ne  yet 
can,  be  hid  under  a  bushell :  but  is  like  with  your  L.  famous 
renown,  very  far  immortally  to  be  blazed.  The  third  and 
last  principall  point  of  this  my  present  sute  to  your  L.,  is  for 
your  L.  hand  to  a  letter  directed  to  Mr.  Harly,  keper  of  the 
records  of  Wigmor  castell,  or  to  whome,  in  this  case,  it  doth 
appertayn.  For  that,  at  my  late  being  there,  I  espied  an 
heap  of  old  papers  and  parchments,  obligations,  acquittances, 
accownts,  &c.  (in  tyme  past  belonging  to  the  abbay  of  Wig- 
mor) and  there  to  lye  rotting,  spoyled,  and  tossed,  in  an  old 
decayed  chappell,  not  committed  to  any  man's  speciall  charge : 
but  thre  quarters  of  them  I  understand  to  have  byn  taken 
away  by  diverse  (eyther  taylors,  or  others,  in  tymes  past). 
Now  my  fantasie  is  that,  in  som  of  them,  will  be  some  men- 
tion made  of  noblemen  and  gentlemen  of  those  dayes,  where- 
by (eyther  for  chronicle  or  pedigree)  som  good  matter  may  be 
collected  out  of  them  by  me  (at  my  leysor)  by  the  way  of  a 
recreation.  And  whatsoever  I  shall  finde  in  them,  eyther  of 


18  LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS. 

your  L.  ancestors  (in  direct  line,  braunche,  collateral!,  or 
match)  wherin  I  am  not  utterly  ignorant :  eyther  of  any  other 
matter  worthy  your  lordships  knowledg;  I  will  make  true 
report,  and  deliver  the  same  to  your  L.  ordring ;  but  els  they 
ar  to  unclenly  (som  of  them)  for  your  L.  eyes  to  behold. 
Thus,  in  the  perswaded  security  of  your  L.  favorable  inter- 
preting of  all  the  premisses,  I  ende  this  long  letter,  beseech- 
ing the  blessed  Trinity  that  this  florishing  kingdome  may 
long  enjoye  the  great  talent  committed  to  your  L.  (from 
above)  and,  on  your  L.  behalf,  moste  wisely  employed  to  the 
welth  and  tranquilitye  of  this  kingdome. 
This  3  of  October,  15  74. 

Your  L.  most  bownden, 

JOHN  DEE. 

To  the  right  honorable  and  my  singular 
good  lord  and  patron,  the  L.  Burgh- 
ley,  Lord  High  Threasorer  of  England. 


HUMPHREY  COLE  TO  LORD  BURGHLEY. 

[MS.  Lansd.  No.  26,  Art.  22.  Orig.] 

4th  December,  1578. 

Righte  Honourable, — Whereas  Mr.  Edwarde  Dyer  pre- 
sented to  your  honour  a  peece  of  greene  owre  which  he  had 
of  me,  yt  was  your  honour's  pleasure  that  I  should  make 
serche  for  it  at  my  goinge  into  the  northe,  which  I  accom- 
plished according  to  your  honnour's  appointemente,  and  have 
brought  some  of  it  with  me  from  the  place  where  it  was  got- 
ten ;  the  whiche  I  woulde  have  presented  to  your  honnour 
longe  before  this  tyme,  but  for  that  I  dwell  in  London,  I 
durst  not  presume  to  come  to  the  courte  unto  you.  Where- 
fore I  have  nowe  sente  the  same  unto  your  honnours  by  Mr. 
Walter,  one  of  your  gentlemen,  certefienge  your  honnour 
that  it  was  founde  in  the  digging  of  a  quarry  in  the  grounde 
of  Mr.  Robert  Bowes  of  Aske  in  the  Countie  of  Richemonde, 
soe  neere  unto  his  house  there  (upon  the  which  he  is  nowe 
bestowinge  greate  coste  in  buildinges)  that  in  the  digging 
for  the  same  owre  his  howse  may  be  undermined.  Howbeit 
there  be  other  places  thereaboute  wherein  the  same  owre,  or 
the  like,  in  good  plentie  might  be  serched  and  founde ;  for 
there  was  plentie  of  it  in  that  place  where  I  had  this,  but  I 
perceave  the  said  gentleman  dare  not  digge  for  it,  for  that  he 
feareth  thereby  to  undermyne  and  hurte  the  foundacion  of 


LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS.  19 

his  said  house,  and  it  appeareth  that  in  old  tyme  there  hathe 
bene  within  a  quarter  of  a  mile  of  the  same  place  greate 
woorkinge,  but  noe  man  to  this  daye  knoweth  to  what  pur- 
pose. Onelie  this  I  heare,  that  there  was  an  olde  recorde 
found  mencioninge  that  those  hilles  thereaboutes  were  called 
riche  mounts  or  divites  monies,  whereof  the  towne  of  Rich- 
mont  took  the  name  and  was  called  Richmounts.  And  thus 
I  am  bolde  to  declare  the  reporte  thereof  to  your  honnour,  as 
yt  was  tolde  unto  me ;  and  I  doubte  not  to  discover  manie 
profitable  thinges  bothe  there  and  in  other  places  in  that 
countrey,  if  I  had  occasion  to  remaine  thereaboute.  And  if 
it  please  your  honnour  to  use  my  service  in  this  or  anie  other 
thinges  according  to  my  skill,  I  am  at  youre  honnors  co- 
maundemente,  havinge  founde  you  my  good  lord  at  all 
times.  For  by  your  good  meanes  I  was  placed  in  the  tower 
to  serve  the  Quene  in  the  mynte  to  doe  the  servyces  perteyn- 
inge  to  the  mill,  that,  when  Eloy  the  ffrenchman  shoulde  be 
taken  therefrom  by  death  or  otherwise,  I  should  enjoye  the 
same.  And  towarde  my  staie  of  livinge  till  that  office  shoulde 
fall,  there  was  alowed  unto  me  the  ffee  of  the  sincker  of  the 
stampes,  being  £20  by  yere;  and  he  that  nowe  exerciseth 
that  place  hath  not  other  thing  to  live  on  but  the  half  of  my 
ffee.  And  nowe  he  refuseth  to  serve  in  it  anie  longer,  where- 
fore I  humblie  besech  your  honour  to  continewe  my  good 
lorde,  that  I  maye  be  established  in  that  house,  office  and 
ffee,  which  the  said  Eloy  had,  which  I  have  staied  for  theis 
xxtie.  yeres,  and  thereby  spente  the  best  of  my  tyme  to  my 
greate  hindraunce,  lackinge  sufficiente  maintenaunce  for  me 
and  my  family.  Albeit  that  T  hoped,  by  the  service  whiche  I 
have  donne  and  can  doe,  both  in  this  respecte  and  in  manie 
other  thinges,  if  I  were  called  thereto,  to  have  obteigned  some 
suche  prefermente  before  this  time,  as  that  I  should  not  nowe 
have  bene  destitute  of  livinge  in  this  my  olde  age.  And  thus 
remayninge  alwaies  readie  to  serve  the  Quenes  Majesty,  and 
to  die  in  hir  service,  I  praie  God  that  hir  noble  highnes  maie 
have  a  longe  lief,  that  I  and  manie  other  maie  serve  hir  manie 
yeres,  and  that  your  honnours  health  and  prosperous  estate 
maye  longe  contynewe. 

From  London  this  iiij.th  of  December,  1578. 

Your  honor's  moste  humble  suppliante, 

HUMFREY  COLE*. 
To  the  right  honnourable  and  his  singuler 

good  Lorde  the  L.  Burghley,  Lorde 

Highe  Treasorer  of  England. 

*  Humphrey  Cole  was  the  most  distinguished  mechanist  in  England  at  this  pe- 
riod.    Gabriel  Harvey  in  a  MS.  note  on  the  margin  of  a  copy  of  Blagrave's  Ma- 

c  2 


20  LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS. 

DR.  JOHN  DEE  TO  CHARLES  JACKMAN  AND 
ARTHUR  PETT. 

[MS.  Lansd.  No.  122,  Art.  5.  Orig.] 

Instructions  for  the  two  masters,  Charles  Jackman  and  Arthur 
Petty  geven  and  delyvered  to  them,  at  the  Court  day  holden 
at  the  Moschovy  house,  the  Ijth  of  May,  anno  1580,  with 
which  instructions  a  new  charte  (made  by  hand)  was  geven 
allso  to  eche  of  the  sayd  two  Masters,  expressing  their  Cathay 
voyage  more  exactly  then  any  other  yet  published. 

In  the  name  of  Jesus  ! 

Yf  we  recken  from  Wardhouse  to  Colgoyeve  Hand  400 
myles,  for  allmost  20  degrees  difference,  only  of  longitude,, 
very  nere  east  and  west,  and  abowt  the  latitude  of  70f . 

And  from  Colgoyeve  to  Vaygatz  200  myles,  for  10  degrees 
difference  (only  in  longitude)  at  70  degrees  of  latitude  allso. 

And  from  Vaygatz  to  the  promontory  Tabin,  being  60  de- 
grees different  in  longitude;  (the  whole  course  or  shortest 
distance  betwene  which  two  is  allso  east  and  west,  in  the  la- 
titude likewise  of  70)  are  1200  myles.  Then  is  summa  totalis 
from  Wardhouse  to  Tabin,  600  leages  or  1800  myles  Eng- 
lish. 

Therefore  allowing  in  a  discovery  voyage,  for  one  day  with 
an  other,  but  50  myles  English  ;  yt  is  evident  that  from 
Wardhouse  to  Tabin,  the  course  may  be  sayled  easily  in  36 
dayes.  But  by  God's  help,  it  may  be  fynisshed  in  much 
shorter  tyme  :  both  by  help  of  wynde  prosperous,  and  lyght 
continuall  for  the  tyme  requisite  thereto. 

When  you  are  past  Tabin,  or  come  to  the  longitude  of  142 
(as  your  charte  sheweth)  or  2,  3,  4,  or  5  degrees  farder 
easterly,  it  is  probable  that  you  shall  fynde  the  lande  on  your 
right  hand,  running  much  sowtherly  and  eastward,  in  which 
course  you  are  like  either  to  fall  into  the  mowth  of  the  famous 
ryver  Oechardes,  or  some  other :  which  (yet)  I  conjecture,  to 
pas  by  the  renowned  City  of  Cambalu :  and  that  mouth  to 
•be  in  the  latitude  abowt  50  or  52  degrees,  and  within  300  or 
400  myles  of  Cambalu,  ytself  being  in  latitude  abowt  45  de- 

thematical  Jewel  in  the  British  Museum,  mentions  "  old  Humphrie  Cole  "  as  a 
"  mathematical  mechanician"  ;  and  he  applies  the  same  term  to  him  in  his  work 
entitled  Pierces  Supererogation,  4to.  Lond.  1593,  p.  190.  William  Bourne  also, 
in  his  Inventions  or  Devises,  Lond.  1578,  p.  17,  makes  honourable  mention  of  him 
as  an  inventor.  A  mathematical-instrnment-maker  of  the  same  name,  Irving 
"  neere  unto  the  North  dore  "  of  St.  Paul's,  is  mentioned  by  Worsop  in  his  work 
entitled  Discoverie  of  sundrie  errors  and  faults  daily  committed  by  Lande-meaters, 
4to,  Lond.  1582;  but  I  am  uncertain  whether  this  latter  notice  refers  to  the  same 
person. 


LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS.  21 

grees  sowtherly  of  the  said  river  mowth  :  or  els,  that  you 
shall  trend  about  the  very  northen  and  most  easterly  poynt 
of  all  Asia,  passing  by  the  province  Ania,  and  then  in  the  la- 
titude of  46,  keping  still  the  land  in  vewe  on  your  right  hand 
(as  nere  as  you  may  with  safety)  you  may  enter  into  Quinsay 
haven,  being  the  chief  city  in  the  northen  China,  as  I  terme 
yt,  for  distinction  sake,  from  the  other  better  known. 

And  in,  or  about  eyther,  or  both  of  these  two  warme  places, 
you  may  (to  great  good  purpose)  be  occupyed  the  whole 
wynter  after  your  aryvall  in  those  quarters :  as,  sometyme  by 
sea,  sometyme  in  notable  fresh  ryvers,  sometymes  in  discrete 
vew,  and  noting  down  the  situation  of  cities  within  land,  &c.: 
and  ever  assaying  to  come  by  some  chartes,  or  maps,  of  the 
cuntry,  made  and  printed  in  Cathay  or  China ;  and  by  some 
of  their  bookes  likewise,  for  language,  &c. 

You  may  have  opportunity  allso  to  sayle  over  to  Japan 
Hand,  where  you  shall  fynde  Christen  men,  Jesuites  of  many 
cuntries  of  Christendom,  and  perhaps  some  Englishemen ; 
at  whose  hands  you  may  have  great  instruction  and  advise 
for  our  affayres  in  hand.  God  be  favorable  to  these  attempts, 
greatly  tending  to  his  glory,  and  the  great  honour  of  this 
kingdome !  Amen*. 

Anno  1580.  A.  Maij.  35. 

By  me  JOHN  DEE. 


STEPHEN  POWLE  TO  MR.  WEST. 

[MS.  Lansd.  No.  100.  Art.  19.] 

The  coppie  of  my  letter  to  Mr.  West  whearin  is  the  tower 
and  fabricke  of  the  horologe  in  Strasbourg  described. 

Right  worshipfull  Sir,  and  my  moste  especiall  good  frend ; 
Whereas  it  pleased  you  in  your  letter  dated  the  8.  of  No- 
vember, moste  courteously  to  request  that  of  me  which  your 
manifowld  desertes  of  right  might  have  commaunded,  I  have 
endeavored,  accordinge  to  the  utmoste  of  my  power,  which 
doth  shewe  the  smalnes  of  my  skill,  to  satisfie  your  request 
therein,  and  have  noted  the  particular  poinctes  of  the  tower 
and  clocke  of  Strasbourge ;  wherein,  because  I  finde  many 
thinges  farr  to  exceed  the  reporte,  therefore  I  feare  to  under- 
take this  bould  enterprice,  to  send  them  put  downe  in  wri- 
tinge.  For  as  Allexander,  which  was  the  only  monarch  was 

*  Among  the  Harleian  charters,  EE.  xix.,  is  "  the  counterfet  of  Mr.  Fernando 
Simon  his  sea  charte,  whiche  he  lent  unto  my  master  at  Mortlake,  anno  1580." 
In  the  same  collection,  EE.  xvii.,  is  Dr.  Dee's  own  chart. 


22  LETTERS  ON   SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS. 

never  pourtracted  in  table  but  of  Apelles,  never  graven  in 
brasse  but  of  Lisippus,  nor  at  any  tyme  praised  in  assembles 
but  of  Ephestion,  least  by  the  unskilfulnes  of  any  other  the 
glory  of  his  renoune  might  be  empaired ;  so  of  right  this 
tower,  which  is  the  only  wonder  I  heare  of,  shoold  never  be 
described  but  of  sutche  exquisit  men  in  paintinge,  carvinge 
and  speach,  as  weare  those  forenamed  persons ;  and  myself 
ought  rather  to  be  silent  (beinge  acquainted  with  mine  owne 
simplicitie  in  that  behalf ),  then  by  endeavoringe  to  describe 
the  workmanshipp  detract  from  the  wonder  and  mervaile 
that  all  menn  have  so  justly  thereof  conceaved.  But  as  those 
that  had  the  vewe  of  the  pyramides  in  Egipt  weare  rather 
astonid  with  the  sight,  then  able  to  decypher  those  hidden 
misteries  covered  with  the  shoe  of  hieroglificall  beastes,  and 
therefore  they  presented  the  formes  and  models  thereof  only 
unto  there  frendes  at  there  retoorne,  to  procure  therein  also  ther 
delight.  In  like  sorte  my  self,  in  behouldinge  theise  German 
pyramides  with  an  admiringe  mynde,  following  there  exam- 
ple, have  sent  you  heer  enclosed  theise  two  sheetes  of  paper, 
which  doe  figure  foorth,  although  obscurely,  the  shininge  ex- 
cellencye  of  that  they  represent;  wishinge  there  all  that  the 
painters  cunninge  had  been  aunswerable  to  ther  curious 
rarnes,  for  then  your  pleasure  should  have  been  in  every  re- 
spect equall  with  your  desyre.  But  this  want  of  his  must 
be  supplied  with  your  judgement,  which  like  the  skilful  geo- 
metrician, cann  by  one  smale  part  proportionably  gather  the 
whoale  boddie,  or  by  measuringe  only  the  shadowe  discerne 
the  heyth  of  the  tower ;  and  like  unto  Pithagoras  that  find- 
inge  in  ludis  Olympiacis  but  one  stadium,  which  contayned 
three  hundred  feet,  therbie  conceive  the  huge  monstrous 
stature  of  the  geant  Hercules  the  measurer  thereof.  But 
yeat  least  you,  by  behouldinge  theis  dumme,  silent  and  mute 
pictures,  finde  more  to  amaze  your  minde,  then  to  delight 
your  eye,  I  present  myself  unto  you  as  a  bashfull  trush- 
man  to  unfould  there  meaninge.  Yf  I  interpret  there  wordes 
amis  attribut  that  fault  to  my  unskilfulnes  of  there  speech, 
because  they  be  Germans  by  nature,  and  myself  am  not  per- 
fectly acquainted  with  there  tounge,  by  reason  of  the  smalnes 
of  my  continuaunce :  I  might  also  add  this  for  a  more  juste 
excuse,  that  I  am  not  a  professour  of  there  arte,  and  there- 
fore unfitt  to  be  an  expressour  of  there  misteries.  But  that 
which  embouldeneth  me  is  this,  that  though  I  aunswere  not 
there  worthines,  yet  I  shall  after  a  sort  observe  decorum,  in 
beinge  as  farr  of  from  presentinge  the  veary  truth  by  my 
penn,  as  the  painter  is  from  describinge  the  lively  vew  thereof 
by  the  draught  of  his  pensell. 

The  citie  of  Strasbourge  is  called  in  Latin  Argentina,  for 


LETTERS  ON   SCIENTIFIC   SUBJECTS.  23 

the  nomber  of  silver  mynes  which  be  founde  in  the  contry  of 
Alsatia,  wherein  it  is  seated.  The  which,  as  it  hath  the  walles 
fortified  with  moste  artificiall  bulwarkes  for  to  defend  them 
without  from  the  force  of  enemies,  so  the  houses  be  adorned 
with  moste  curious  paintings  to  delight  within  the  behoulders  : 
for  the  excellencie  of  both  which  it  is  placed  emongest  the 
cheef  cities  in  theise  partes  of  Germany,  and  renounid  through 
all  Europe  for  the  workman shipp  of  the  tower,  and  the  artifi- 
ciall mocions,  morall  figures  and  astronomicall  instruments 
inclosed  in  the  fabricke  of  a  clocke.  The  tower  is  moste 
spoken  of  for  the  arte  in  rearinge  up  a  heape  of  so  many 
stones,  almost  contrary  to  nature,  six  hundred  foote  highe  in 
the  aire,  so  geometrically  that  it  seameth  rather  to  hange 
therein  then  lean  on  any  sure  fondation,  and  that  it  hath 
continewed  almost  this  four  hundred  yeares.  I  assure  you, 
sir,  to  behoulde  the  same,  beinge  in  the  topp  thereof,  it  seam- 
eth to  have  threatned  ruine  ever  since  the  first  hower  it  was 
built,  passadge  lying  open  through  every  stone  thereof  to  the 
winde  and  the  weather  in  sutch  sorte  that  I  scarcely  remem- 
ber my  beinge  on  the  heith  thereof  without  a  tremblinge  ter- 
rour,  consideringe  that  I  might  have  fallen  to  the  grownde 
every  moment  throwghe  the  same.  There  is  added  to  this 
rare  heith  a  mervelous  sensible  deceipt  of  the  behoulder,  for 
it  seameth  not  to  be  by  the  half  so  high,  to  take  the  vewe 
thereof  from  the  foundation.  I  attribute  this  to  the  smale 
hould  the  beames  of  the  eyes  can  have  on  the  stones  of  this 
build inge,  beinge  everie  waie  (as  I  before  have  mencioned) 
perflatiles,  and  the  force  of  the  sight  beinge  divided  into  so 
many  and  sundry  partes  (by  the  meanes  of  those  chiones  it 
lighteth  on  when  any  man  looketh  up  to  the  tower,)  is  made 
more  weake  and  feable,  and,  therefore,  cannot  by  reflection 
bringe  backe  to  the  eyes  the  perfect  forme  of  the  object ;  for 
the  sence  of  seinge  beinge  the  servaunt  of  the  mynde,  dooth 
represent  by  the  eyes  (which  be,  as  Plato  termeth  them,  ad 
animam  perforate  fenestrce,}  the  trew  shape  of  that  thinge  it 
was  commaunded  to  behould,  sendinge  forthe  his  beames,  as 
bailifs,  to  arest  the  object  to  appeare  before  reason  that  keap- 
eth  his  coort  in  man's  mynde ;  which,  beinge  vearye  swifte, 
escapeth,  and  is  not  attayned  to  by  pursute ;  and  by  that 
reason,  lookinge  on  a  whirlinge  wheele,  wee  discern e  not  the 
spookes  thereof,  nor  on  birdes  flyinge  wee  see  no  fethers; 
or  yf  the  object  be  veary  farr  of,  as  out  of  his  bailiwike,  he  re- 
toorneth  non  est  inventus;  and  therefore  we  attain  e  not  by 
sight  the  grasse  that  groweth  on  mountaines  farr  of,  nor  dis- 
cern branches  though  wee  behould  the  trees ;  or  if  they  be 


24  LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS. 

but  informed  by  others,  then  they  reporte  falsly ;  and  there- 
fore men  behouldinge  the  moone  in  the  horizon,  through  and 
by  the  meane  of  the  moist  and  vaperous  aier,  the  eies  reporte 
to  the  minde  the  moone  to  be  bigger  then  it  is  2  howers 
after :  and  an  ower  to  be  broken  in  the  waves  that  is  whole ; 
a  penny  in  a  boule  of  water  to  be  a  grote  for  bignes :  or,  if 
theise  ballifes  meet  with  an  artificial!  object,  then  as  with  a 
suptill  sophister,  beinge  deluded,  they  err  in  there  arrant 
likewise ;  and  that  is  the  reason  why  Zeuxis'  painted  grapes 
dasled  the  sighte  of  the  birdes,  and  whye  Parrhasius  coort- 
ine  deceaved  Zeuxis  the  painter;  that  Pigmalion's  handes, 
in  beinge  in  love  with  his  owne  picture,  deceaved  his  eyes ; 
and  to  applie  it  to  this  present  example,  this  seameth  to  me 
the  reason  why  this  artificiall  tower  deceaveth  the  behoulder. 
In  the  fabricke  of  the  clocke  which  standeth  in  the  church, 
nature  for  geavinge  sutch  an  excellent  subject  to  woork  on, 
the  will  of  the  devisor  for  his  invention  and  disposition,  and 
the  handes  of  the  artificers  for  there  exquisitenes  in  gravinge, 
carvinge  and  paintinge,  and  all  three  for  the  consent  they 
had  in  the  perfettinge  this  rare  devise,  are  so  much  to  be  won- 
dered at,  that  the  behoulder  remaineth  douptfull  to  which 
he  shoold  geave  the  glory  or  praise,  for  it  should  seem  they 
all  contended  for  the  highest  point  of  wonderfull  admiration. 
Nature  hath  geaven  a  kinde  of  wroode,  called  Zilly,  which 
hardly  can  be  discerned  from  stone.  The  devisor  hath  placed 
in  this,  besides  divers  incredible  motions,  the  best  instru- 
ments of  astronomy ;  and  the  painters  hath  bestowed  thereon 
the  summe  of  their  cunninge  and  the  perfection  of  there  arte. 
To  retoorne  to  the  devise,  therein  is  to  be  seen  a  shoe  of  eter- 
nitie ;  the  beginninge  of  Tyme  and  a  vewe  of  Age ;  the  periods 
of  the  planetes  ;  the  yearly  and  dailie  motion  of  the  soonne  in 
the  zodiake ;  the  convertion  of  the  moone  in  her  cycle,  and  a 
more  particular  distinction  of  tyme  by  motions  artificiall  of 
weakes,  daies,  howers,  quarters  and  minutes :  adorned  also 
it  is  with  beautifull  pictures  of  holly  and  prophane  stories, 
and  with  admirable  motions  of  men,  beastes  and  birdes.  To 
entreat  of  theis  partes  in  order  doth  cause  me  to  be  prepos- 
terous, for  first  I  must  describe  the  heele  and  after,  last  ot  all, 
the  heade.  Eternitie  is  partly  figured  by  the  begininge,  and 
partly  also  by  the  laste  parte  of  the  fabricke.  The  pellican 
that  supporteth  the  globe  dooth  represent  the  poet's  Atlas, 
whome  they  fained  to  beare  the  woorld  on  his  shouldiers ;  but 
Christians  do  resemble  it  to  our  Saviour,  by  whome  all  thinges 
have  there  life,  as  the  globe  hath  hir  motion  by  the  instru- 
mentes  conveyed  in  the  belly  of  the  pellican.  Tyme  is  figured 


LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS.  25 

by  the  heavenly  globe ;  for  as  by  the  one  wee  knowe  the  re- 
volution of  the  moveable  yeare,  so  by  the  other  wee  discerne 
the  distinction  of  all  motion,  for  the  philosophers  define  tyme 
to  be  mensura  motus.  Before  the  heavens  weare  created 
there  was  no  naturall  motion,  and,  by  that  reason,  there 
wold  be  no  mensura  motus.  That  estate  of  beinge  which  was 
before  the  creacion  of  the  woorld  was  called  therefore  eter- 
nitie ;  because  therefore  the  pellican  is  placed  firste,  out  of 
which  proceedeth  the  cause  of  the  motion  of  the  globe  which 
representeth  the  woorld,  therefore  the  pellican  figureth  forth 
eternitie,  and  the  globe  representeth  the  begininge  of  tyme. 
The  globe  is  moved  every  daie  by  a  circular  and  violent  mo- 
tion, and  therein  the  soone  in  his  naturall  coorse  kepeth  the 
eclipticall  line,  whoe,  although  he  be  likewise  whirled  about 
by  the  violence  ofprimum  mobile  everie  daie  from  the  east  to 
the  weast,  yeat  in  his  zodiake  he  finissheth  his  naturall  coorce 
from  the  weast  to  the  easte  every  yeare ;  which  tyme  is  said 
to  be  his  period,  as  that  also  of  the  moone  in  twentie  eight 
daies  and  eight  minutes ;  that  of  Saturne  in  thirtie  yeare ; 
Jubiter  in  five  yeare  and  eight  dayes,  and  so  likwise  of  the 
reste ;  and  that  of  the  eighth  spher  (which  is  tearmed  ccelum 
stellatum),  where  the  fixed  starres  remayne  in  six  and  thirtie 
thowsand  yeares,  which  is  the  period  of  the  spher,  and  it  is 
called  magnus  annus  Platonis,  because  he  held  opinion  that 
then  all  thinges  should  beginne  anew.  The  third  yallowe 
great  compas  (that  resembleth  after  a  sorte  a  wheele,  by  rea- 
son of  the  forme  and  read  lines  that  be  like  spookes,)  setteth 
forth  a  callander  for  one  hundred  yeares  (in  the  4  corners  of 
which  be  described  the  4  monarchies),  which  was  called  of  the 
poetes  the  age  of  man,  and  therefore  they  fained  that  Nestor 
lived  three  men's  lives,  because  he  was  three  hundred  yeares 
owld,  and  this  callander  doth  morally  signifie  age,  and  parti- 
cular describeth  the  daies  of  the  moneth,  the  letter  Domini- 
call,  the  Epact,  and  the  goulden  number,  all  which  be  shewed 
by  the  arrowe  of  Apollo,  there  painted  in  the  lei't  hand  of  the 
table,  and  by  the  finger  of  Diana  on  the  right  side  thereof. 
The  great  circompherence  of  this  circle  that  is  coloured  yalow 
finisheth  his  cours  in  a  yeare,  the  inwarde  part  that  is  co- 
loured blewe  in  a  hundred  yeares  retourneth  to  his  period. 
Over  which  be  motions  of  the  planetes,  as  they  geave  the  de- 
nomination to  the  daies,  as  on  sunday  the  sonne  presenteth 
him  self,  drawen  in  a  chariot  with  towe  white  horses,  with  his 
strength  Leo.  The  moone  of  munday,  drawen  in  chariot  by 
twoe  redd  hartes,  her  strength  Cancer.  Mars  on  tewsdaie, 
drawen  in  his  coach  by  twoe  tigers,  assisted  with  his  strength 
Aries  and  Scorpio.  Mercury  on  Wednesday,  drawen  by  twoe 


26  LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS. 

redd  cockes,  with  his  strength  Gemini  and  Virgo.  Jupiter  on 
thursdaie,in  his  chariot  drawen  by  twoepecockes,his  coachman 
Sagitarius,  his  strength  Pisces.  Venus  on  fridaie,  drawen  in  her 
chariot  by  twoe  white  doves,  her  coachman  Cupid,  her  strength 
Libra  and  Taurus.  Saturne  on  satterdaie,  drawen  in  his  coach 
by  twoe  greane  dragons,  his  strength  Capricornus  and  Aqua- 
rius ;  so  that  in  the  whoale  weake  they  all  showe  themselves. 
This  motion  is  mervelous  beautifull  and  veary  strange,  and 
in  my  opinion  adorneth  more  than  any  other  parte  in  the 
whoale  fabricke.  Those  rounde  spotts  in  the  twoe  sides  of 
the  callender  be  the  notable  eclipses  of  the  soone  and  moone, 
that  shall  happen  within  this  thirtie  twoe  yeares.  The  rounde 
blewe,  havinge  the  center  thereof  redd,  is  nothinge  but  the 
motion  of  an  index  that  sheweth  the  minutes  of  the  hower ; 
on  the  sides  whereof  be  twoe  angelicall  boyes,  the  one  havinge 
an  hower  glasse  which  he  toorneth  every  hower,  the  sande 
beinge  emptied  out  in  the  lower  parte  thereof;  the  other  ha- 
vinge a  cepter  in  his  hande  whiche  he  liftinge  up  semeth  as 
it  weare  to  commaunde  the  clocke  to  stricke.  The  next  great 
circumpherence  distinguished  by  twenty  foure  howers,  is  an 
astronomicall  instrument  called  the  astrolabe,  wherein  be  the 
howerly,  dailie,  weakly,  monethly  and  yearly  motions  of  the 
planets  and  starres ;  in  the  corners  whereof  be  the  foure  ages 
of  man,  the  foure  seasons  of  the  yeare :  above  this  is  the 
monethly  course  of  the  moone  which  doeth  so  wax  and  waine, 
is  manifested  shininge  or  shadowed,  as  the  moone  is  in  the  fir- 
mament. Above  this  be  those  men  which  stricke  the  quar- 
ters, wheare  the  hower  is  resembled  to  the  life  of  man,  which 
hath  his  infancie  like  to  the  first  quarter,  which  is  strooken  by 
the  child  ;  his  adolescencie  resembled  by  the  second  quarter, 
which  is  strooke  by  a  yooth ;  his  manhood  resembled  by  an 
armed  souldier,  whoe  strikes  the  third  quarter ;  and  his  owld 
age  resembled  by  a  graie-bearded  man,  whoe  striketh  the 
laste  quarter.  The  hower  glasse  beinge  nowe  emptied  (which 
the  angelicall  boye  before  spoken  of  that  sitteth  belowe  by  the 
circule  of  minutes  held  in  his  hand),  the  course  of  man's  age  is 
by  that  figured  to  be  ended,  and  therefore  death  ensueth  and 
striketh  the  stroke  on  the  little  bell,  as  it  weare  to  summon  us 
to  appeare  before  the  tribunale  seat  of  the  heavenly  judge,  and 
sheweth  that  the  lif  is  finisshed  as  the  hower,  whose  droppes 
of  sand  be  resembled  to  the  daies,  and  protract  our  lif  to  our 
end,  and  that  our  period  of  abidinge  heare  is  so  shorte  as  the 
hower  is  in  respect  of  eternitie.  Opposite  to  death  is  Christ 
which  reviveth  and  raseth  up  to  lif  everlastinge ;  and  in  this 
second  place  is  eternitie  signified,  whoe  was  before  all  tyme, 
figured  in  the  pellican  belowe,  and  shall  continew  after  all 


LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS.  27 

tyme  is  ended.  The  motion  whereby  the  nature  of  our  Sa- 
viour is  manifested  is  every  moment  to  come  forth  out  of  that 
place  where  he  is  pourtraeted,  to  signifie  that  he  carefully 
provideth  for  all  ages,  and  lovingly  presenteth  him  selfe  at  all 
tymes.  This  is,  Right  Worshipfull  Sir,  in  breef,  the  summe  of 
that  which  is  in  the  fabricke  of  the  clocke  contayned,  wherein 
lie  hidden  more  misteries  then  I  have  manifested  unto  you  in 
theise  fewe  lines,,  and  yet  so  mutch  hath  been  uttered  as  de- 
serveth  a  duble  and  treble  consideracion,  for  in  this  so  many 
divers  partes  is  a  wonderfull  consent  and  agreement ;  for  heer 
the  foure  men  doe  soe  distinguishe  the  continewaunce  of 
the  whole  woorld,  as  the  foure  seasons  doe  the  yeare ;  the 
ages  doe  the  life  of  man,  and  the  foure  quarters  doe  the 
moone  and  the  hower  ;  and  yeat  all  theise  have  and 

figured  by  death,  all  theise  have  originall  motion  by  Christ, 
which  is  there  lif,  figured  forth  by  the  pellicau,  and  all 
theise  have  been  garded  and  maintained  by  our  Saviour,  the 
laste  parte  of  the  worke.  There  is  also  the  creation  of  man, 
the  fall  of  man,  and  the  restoringe  of  man,  and  his  resurrec- 
tion, painted  in  the  lower  parte  of  the  table,  over  the  eclipses 
of  the  soonne  and  the  moone.  The  cocke  on  the  left  hand 
dothe  croe  at  three  of  the  clocke  in  the  afternoone.  This  was 
not  devised  of  late,  but  kept  in  the  church  as  a  monument  of 
antiquitie ;  for  in  tymes  past  they  used,  when  the  passion  of  Christ 
was  celebrated,  to  make  this  cocke  croe  at  sutch  tyme  as  they 
reade  in  the  Evangelist,  Peter  three  tymes  deniall  of  Christe, 
the  which  savoreth  nothinge  of  the  invention  of  the  rest  of 
the  woorke.  The  other  side  is  only  an  artificiall  steare 
whereby  men  maie  behould  the  conveyances  of  the  motions 
within.  In  the  mindes  of  the  magistrates  that  fournisshed 
the  deviser  with  habilitie  to  make  shewe  of  his  skill  by  mag- 
nificent expenses,  there  is  to  be  considered  a  desyre  to  conse- 
crat  the  memoriall  of  there  names  to  perpetuall  admiration  of 
succeadinge  ages,  imitatinge  therebie  the  examples  of  many 
kinges  and  princes  that  emptied  there  treasures  on  such  he- 
roicall  woorkes.  Some  in  buildinge  of  temples  ;  some  by  in- 
ventinge  of  warlike  engins ;  some  by  devisinge  spatious  and 
ample  theatres  ;  some  by  convayinge  miraculously  waters  by 
aquaeductes ;  some  by  buildinge  of  bathes ;  by  bridges ;  by 
gardens ;  some  by  piramides ;  some  men  by  obeliscy,  and 
some  by  measuringe  of  tyme  by  clepsydrae,  clockes  and  hower- 
glasses  and  sutch  like,  that  to  recite  all  the  other  kindes  of 
inventions  weare  to  you  troublesome  and  to  me  laborious. 
The  great  Temple  of  Diana  in  Ephesus  did  contayne  in  length 
foure  hundred  and  thirtie  twoe  feet,  in  breadth  one  hundred 
and  twenty,  was  supported  by  one  hundred  and  twenty  seaven 


28  LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS. 

statly  pillers,  and  was  a  buildinge  twoe  hundred  and  twenty 
yeares  by  the  moste  exquisite  artizans  in  all  Asia.  The  walles 
that  inclosed  the  great  citie  of  Babilon,  built  by  Queen  Sy- 
miramis,  weare  in  circute  sixtie  miles ;  in  heith,  two  hundred 
feet ;  in  breadth  fiftie  ;  weare  distinguished  with  twoe  hun- 
dred and  fiftie  stately  towers ;  in  one  yeares  space  weare 
finisshed,  but  by  the  hand  of  thirteen  thowsand  woorkmen. 
The  children  of  Israeli,  that  lived  foure  hundred  and  thirtie 
yeares  under  the  slavishe  servitude  of  the  tirannicall  Pharoes 
in  Egipt,  weare  busied  cheefely  in  there  latter  tyme  in  work- 
inge  of  those  stately  Piramides ;  the  commen  people  bakinge 
of  bricke  for  the  foundations,  and  the  most  learned  amorigest 
them  in  carvinge  of  stones  for  those  hyerogliphicall  misteries. 
Trajan  the  Emperure,  as  it  weare  in  dispite  of  nature,  made  a 
stony  bridge  over  the  swifte  river  Ister  of  twenty  arches,  sea- 
vered  by  one  hundred  and  twentie  feet,  in  heith  forty  cubites, 
in  breadth  thirtie.  The  theaters  at  Rome  weare  capable  of 
sixtie  thowsand  persons  to  behould,  and  of  navis  of  shippes  to 
present  navale  prelium  for  pleasure  unto  the  people,  Horti- 
pensiles  weare  no  lesse  admirable,  that  were  so  artificially  sett 
on  pillers,  that  they  seamed  to  hange  in  the  aire,  and  there- 
fore weare  called  hanginge  gardens.  The  tombe  that  Arte- 
misia bwilt  for  the  kinge  of  Caria  is  renouned  through  the 
whole  woorld  by  the  name  of  Mausole.  The  great  Colossus 
(that  was  in  the  haven  of  the  He  of  Rodes,  was  an  immage  of 
sutch  a  mervelous  heith,  that  great  shippes  with  all  ther 
sailes,  there  toppes  and  topp  gallantes,  mought  enter  betwixt 
his  legges,)  is  to  be  wondered  at  howe  it  stoode  firme  and  im- 
movable of  winde  and  tempest,  without  any  shrowed,  so 
many  hundred  yeares.  Dionisius  the  tiran  was  the  inventor 
of  the  warlicke  engin  called  Catapulta ;  but  first  he,  by  pro- 
posinge  infinite  rewardes,  assembled  at  Siracusa,  in  Sicily,  the 
most  rare  persons  for  invention  in  all  Africa  and  Europe. 
Archimedes  did  devise,  by  many  yeares  study  and  wonderfull 
expenses,  a  burninge  glasse,  wherewith  he  woold  sett  a  fiar  the 
Romaine  shippes  many  leagues  of,  and  handes  of  iron  to  lifte 
upp  whole  navies  by  force,  and  to  make  them  as  it  wreare  flie 
in  the  aire.  Nero  did  invent  and  caused  to  be  bwilt  a  ban- 
quetinge  howse  in  Rome,  wherein  the  motions  of  the  heavens, 
the  conjunctions  and  opositions  of  the  pianettes,  wear  hourely 
presented  unto  him  as  he  sported  him  self  with  musicall  in- 
struments. Vitruvius  for  warlike  engins  is  of  admirable  re- 
noune.  And  Berosus  the  Caldean  did  first  devise  to  measure 
the  tyme  by  an  Hemicycle.  Aristarchus  of  Samos,  by  a  dishe 
havinge  in  the  center  thereof  a  strawe  directed  to  the  zenith, 
and  Augustus  the  Emperewer  in  Campo  Martio  uppon  the 


LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS.  29 

caracters  in  obeliscis,  did  discerne  the  sbadowes,  and  by  that 
meanes  distingwisshed  the  howers  of  the  daie.  Papirius  Cursor 
did  the  use  of  horologis  at  Rome :  and  Scipio  Nascica  did  firste 
devid  the  daie  into  twenty  foure  howers  by  the  runninge  of 
water.  And  Boetius  Severinus  the  philosopher  did  first  in- 
vente  those  clockes  wee  daily  use,  that  move  by  waightes  and 
tourne  by  wheeles*. 

This  catologge  I  alleadge  to  shew,  that  in  all  tymes  and  ages 
moste  renounied  princes  have  contended  for  the  prise  of  glory, 
by  inventinge  rare  woorkesfor  necessitie  or  pleasure,  and  also 
to  shew  that  in  all  tymes  and  ages  menn  have  been  very  curious, 
and  have  bestowed  great  cost  in  distinguisshinge  of  tymes,  as 
a  thirige  that  ought  to  be  estemed  moste  pretious.  To  imitat 
whose  example  and  to  exceed  whose  excellencie,  the  Senate  of 
Strasbourge  have  caused  this  wonderfull  fabrike  to  be  made 
in  this  forme  as  you  see,  by  Doctor  Dassipodius,  publicke 
professor  of  the  Mathematickes,  Wolkenstenius  his  coadju- 
tor, and  Stun  the  painter ;  the  renoune  of  whose  fame  as  it 
is  reported  in  moste  partes  of  Europe,  so  no  doupt  it  wil  be 
perpetuated  by  continewaunce  of  tyme  to  all  ensewinge  pos- 
terities. Thus  hath,  Right  Worshipfull  Sir,  my  desyre  to  de- 
clare the  forwardnes  of  my  good  will  carried  me  perhaps  farr 
beyonde  the  compas  of  my  learninge,  in  indeavoringe  to  in- 
clude sutch  an  exquisite  peece  of  woorke  in  my  rude  letters, 
and  to  contayne  the  statlynes  of  the  high  tower  within  the 
basnes  and  lownes  of  my  creapinge  style.  But  I  hope  you 
will  easily  pardon  this  presumption,  consideringe  it  proceadeth 
from  an  obsequious  mynde  to  procure  your  contentment  by 
this  my  studious  travaile.  And  although  as  it  was  geaven  for 
advise  to  a  temerarious  weake  person,  that  he  should  abridge 
some  whatfrom  his  rasshenes  or  addsomethinge  to  his  strength, 
if  he  ment  to  attaine  any  tbinge  by  his  labour,  so  I  maie  be 
admonished  that  I  should  have  with  houlden  some  parte  of  my 
good  will,  or  encreassed  somewhat  to  my  knowledge,  before  I 
had  undertaken  the  description  of  this  fabricke,  yf  I  did  de- 
syre to  make  my  letters  acceptable  to  the  willinge  peruser 
thereof.  Yet  still  I  bwild  the  foundation  of  my  compforte  on 
the  assured  pillers  of  your  favorable  and  gracious  acceptaunce. 

*  In  the  Archaologia,  vol.  5,  is  a  very  interesting  article  on  the  introduction  of 
clocks  by  Daines  Harrington.  A  manuscript  at  Trinity  College,  Cambridge,  O.  ii. 
32,  contains  another  account  of  the  Strasburgh  clock,  written  in  Latin  in  the  year 
1590.  These  two  accounts  seem  to  agree  very  nearly  with  one  another. 


30  LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS. 

LORD  BURGHLEY'S  MEMORIAL  CONCERNING 
DR.  JOHN  DEE'S  OPINION  ON  THE  REFOR- 
MATION OF  THE  CALENDAR. 

[MS.  Lansd.  No.  39,  Art.  14,  Grig.] 

I  have  perused  Mr.  Dee's  booke  concerning  his  opinion  for 
the  reformation  of  the  old  Romaine  Calender,  and  I  have 
conferred  also  by  speche  with  him  at  good  length  thearein, 
and  I  find  his  judgment  resolute  for  the  error  and  inconve- 
nience to  have  yt  continued  ;  but  he  differeth  in  the  quantetie 
of  the  error,  for  he  hath  made  manie  proofes  by  demonstration 
astronomicall,  that  the  superfluous  nombre  of  daies  to  be 
abridged  are  xj.  wheare  the  Gregorean  judgment  maketh 
them  to  be  but  x.  I  am  not  skilfull  in  the  theoreekes  to  de- 
sernn  the  pointes  and  minutes,  but  yet  I  am  inclined  to  thinke 
him  in  the  right  line,  for  I  find  he  maketh  his  roote  from  the 
vearie  point  of  the  nativitie  of  Christ  in  the  meridian  of  Beth- 
lem ;  and  the  Romaines  have  made  theire  roote  from  the  time 
of  the  Counsell  of  Nice,  and,  according  to  that,  theie  maie 
mainteine  theare  opinion.  But  by  Mr.  Dee,  yt  appeareth 
the  error  in  computation  grewe  betwixt  the  radix  of  Christes 
Nativity  and  the  celebration  of  the  Nicene  Counsell,  which 
he  proveth  by  a  great  nombre  of  good  authorities,  such  as  I 
think  the  Romanistes  cannot  denie.  It  weare  good  in  mine 
opinion  (wheareunto  he  also  consenteth),  that  by  hir  Majesties 
order  sum  skilfull  men  in  this  science,  as  Mr.  Digges  and 
others,  to  be  called  owt  of  the  Universities,  might  peruse  his 
worke,  and  conferr  the  thinges  by  spech ;  and  though  he  dis- 
covereth  the  x.  daies  to  be  insufficient,  yet  he  yeldeth  for  con- 
formitye  with  the  rest  of  the  world  to  assent  to  the  reforma- 
tion of  our  Engleshe  calender,  with  the  abridgment  of  x.  daies 
onelie ;  so  as  the  trewthe  be  denounced  to  the  world  that  yt 
ought  to  be  xj.  dayes,  hoping  that  the  trewthe  will  drawe  the 
Romanestes  and  other  partes  of  Christendome  to  take  owt  of 
their  Calender  hereafter  the  said  odd  daie. 

Theare  appeareth  great  cawse  to  have  this  conference  acce- 
lerated, for  that  it  is  requisite,  for  a  secrett  matter,  to  be  re- 
formed before  November;  so  as  either  everie  moneth  from 
Marche  till  November  maie  beare  equall  defalcation,  or  els 
sum  one  moneth  maie  bear  the  whole.  Thus  much  have  I 
thowght  good  briefuelie  to  deliver  you  mine  opinion. 


LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS.  31 

THOMAS  HOOD  TO  LORD  BURGHLEY. 

[MS.  Lansd.  No.  101,  Art.  12.] 
To  the  righte  honorable  Sir  William  Cecill,  Knighte ;  Lorde 

Burleighe,  Lorde  Treasurer  of  Englande. 
Male  it  please  you,  righte  Honorable,  to  understande,  That 
forsomuche  as  the  maintenance  of  the  mathematicall  lecture, 
and  other  necessaries  belonginge  thereunto  dependeth  espe- 
ciallie  upon  the  execution  of  certaine  articles  confirmed  by  the 
right  honorable  the  lords  of  her  Majesties  Privie  Counsell  con- 
cerninge  the  capitanes  of  the  trained  bandes  in  the  citie  of 
London,  and  the  erectinge  of  a  mathematicall  lecture  therein, 
I  did  therefore  in  humble  manner  request  theire  favorable 
letters  to  the  Lord  Maior  and  his  bretheren  for  the  speedie 
execution  of  the  said  articles.  To  my  peticion  I  receaved  this 
answeare :  That  it  pleased  the  right  honorable  lords  in  my 
behalfe  to  directe  theire  letters  to  the  Lord  Maior  and  his 
bretheren,  requestinge  them  to  move  those  which  had  binne 
contributaries  to  my  lecture  to  continew  theire  benevolence 
towarde  the  same  as  they  had  begonne.  The  which  answere, 
Righte  Honorable,  as  it  seemed  greatlie  to  favour  my  prefer- 
ment, so  am  I  bownde  to  be  thanckfull  for  the  same.  But 
consideringe  that  my  wages  dependeth  not  upon  the  contri- 
bution of  anie  certaine  number  of  men,  but  upon  the  promise 
of  the  Lord  Maior  and  the  citie,  I  feared  that  their  Honours 
letters  so  directed  wolde  be  an  hinderance  to  my  purpose,  I 
was  bolde  therefore  to  renew  my  peticion  unto  theire  Lords, 
whereunto  an  answere  was  retorned  in  these  wordes.  That 
theire  Honours  were  readie  to  grante  the  same,  so  farre  forthe 
as  your  Honour  wolde  consent  thereunto,  wherefore  my  re- 
quest unto  you,  Right  Honorable,  is  this,  That  consideringe 
my  peticion  containeth  nothinge  prejudiciall  to  the  honour 
and  profite  of  the  common  wealth,  or  that  hathe  not  by  your 
Lordships  hande  binne  adjudged  convenient,  and  earnestlie 
requested  by  the  whole  citie,  it  wolde  please  your  Lordship 
to  further  the  same ;  and  I  doubte  not  but  as  I  shall  thincke 
myselfe  bounde  unto  your  Honour,  and  the  rest  for  your 
greate  and  singuler  favour,  so  you  shall  have  just  occasion  to 
saie  (in  respecte  of  that  good  which  by  mine  endevour  shall 
arise  to  the  common  wealth)  that  your  benefite  was  bestowed 
upon  a  painefull  thanckfull  and  well  deservinge  man*. 
Your  Honours, 
Most  humble, 

THOMAS  HOOD. 

*  Towards  the  end  of  Elizabeth's  reign,  there  was  a  mathematical  lecture  read 


32  LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS. 

TYCHO  BRAHE  TO  SIR  THOMAS  SAVELLE. 

[MS.  Harl.  No.  6995,  Art.  40,  Orig.] 

Literas  tuas  circa  initia  Septembris  ad  me  Hamburgo  per- 
scriptas,  vir  praestantissime  eruditissimeque,  misit  hue  claris- 
simus  vir  D.  Doctor  Winshemius,  casque  dum  peregre  in 
Seelandia  absum,  die  22  Novembris  recepi,  quae  mihi  admo- 
dum  gratae  erant.  Nee  enim  insolitum  quid  accidit,  si  viri 
eruditi,  in  variis  Europae  locis  utut  de  facie  mihi  ignoti,  ad 
me  subinde  dent  literas.  Quod  et  ego  vicissim  per  occasio- 
nem  facere  non  supersedeo.  Non  tamen  ita  mihi  ipsi  placeo, 
nee  tanto  me  dignor  honore  quo  tu  candore  et  benevolentia 
singulari  ergamepotius  allectus,  quam  quod  ejuscemodi  quid 
agnoscam,  me  afficis.  Si  praesens  praesentem  aliquando  allo- 
cutus  fuisses,  ex  quo  sic  aliquoties  animum  induxeras,  equi- 
dem  tuus  hue  accessus  mihi  percharus  evenisset.  Solent 
praeter  alias  nationes  diversas  tui  quoque  conterranei  Angli 
me  quotannis,  aestatis  praesertim  tempore  crebro  invisere,  quos 
et,  uti  par  est,  in  pretio  habeo,  et  prout  cujusque  fert  inge- 
nium  atque  desiderium,  libenter  cum  illis  de  re  qualibet  pro- 
posita  confero,  quot  et  tuum  non  gravatim  facerem,  cum  ex 
literis  tuis  perspiciam,  tanquam  ex  ungue  Leonem,  te  ingenii 
acumine  judicio  et  eloquentia  praepollere,  modo  ^Eolus  atque 
Neptunus  tarn  averse  animo  mihi  tuum  hue  adventum  non 
invidissent.  Reddentur  forte  alias  placatiores,  nam  et  eos  qui 
ventis  atque  undis  praesunt,  instar  eorum  mutabiles  esse  con- 
decet.  Nee  fera  tempestas  toto  perdurat  in  anno.  Dabitur 
forsan  aliquando  occasio,  qua  his  faventibus  et  benignius  aspi- 
rantibus,  id  quod  hactenus  non  successit,  commodius  expe- 
dies.  Eris  mihi,  ubi  id  evenerit,  hospes  apprime  acceptus. 
Interim  quod  licet  et  decet,  quodque  a  me  tain  obnixe  expetis, 
praestare  non  intermittam.  Mitto  siquidem  bina  exemplaria 
libri  nostri  secundi  de  recentioribus  cceli  phcenomenis.  Licet 
enim  non  libenter  haec  a  caeteris  tomis,  nondum  typis  integre 
absolutis,  avello,  tamen  tuae  sincerae  et  amicae  petitioni  morem 
gerere  volui.  Habebis  et  reliquos,  sine  quibus  hie  pene  mu- 
tilus  est,  quando  typis  nostris  ad  colophonem  fuerint  deducti. 
Interea  temporis  per  otium  hunc,  quo  nunc  te  dono,  evolve, 
disquire,  dijudica.  Et  si  quid  in  hoc  dubii,  aut  minus  apo- 
dictice  prolatum  adinveneris,  ingenue  admone,  tuamque  et 
aliorum  praestantium  in  Anglia  philosophorum  de  singulis 
eruditam  censuram,  sive  pro  sive  contra  nos  faciat,  conquire, 

in  Leadenhall  Chapel ;  in  1631  this  had  been  discontinued,  hut  lectures  on  navi- 
gation were  then  read  in  the  Blackfriars,  at  the  house  of  Adrianus  Marius.  Stowe's 
Chronicle  by  Howes,  fol.  Lond.  1631,  p.  1080.  Thomas  Hood,  the  writer  of  this 
letter,  was  the  author  of  a  treatise  on  the  sector,  and  several  other  scientific  works. 


LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS.  33 

audacter  prefer,  rneque  per  literas,  cum  libera  restituetur  na- 
vigatio,  de  his  certiorem  redde.  Vale  et  magnificum  specta- 
tissimumque  viram  dominum  Danielem  Rogersium,  regineae 
Majestatis  consiliarium  atque  secretarium  dignissimum,  (qui 
etiam  legationis  hue  in  Daniam  munere  functus,  me  cum  suo 
comitatu  aliquando  invisere  non  est  gravatus)  meo  nomine 
saluta,  unaque  ilium  de  mihi  promisso  serenissimae  reginae 
privilegio  librario,  pro  quo  jam  aliquoties  frustra  ad  ipsuui 
scripsi,  admone  ut  mature  stet  promissis,  quo  diploma  illud 
primo  vere,  si  antea  ob  hyemis  asperitatem  fieri  nequeat,  certo 
obtineam,  cum  caeteris  quibusdam,  ab  imperatore  atque  aliis 
regibus  impetratis,  operibus  nostris  praefigendum.  Aut  si  pri- 
vilegium  illud  non  est  missurus,  indicet  saltern,  quod  et  cur 
id  non  concedatur,  sicque  fidem  datam  apud  me  sufficienter 
redemerit,  eritque  excusatus.  Saluta  quoque  meo  nomine 
officiose  riobilissimum  et  excellentissum  dominum  Johannem 
Dee,  quern  in  patriam  feliciter  reversum  audivi,  ipsique  hoc 
nomine  congratulor,  omniaque  prospera  opto.  Nobilissimum 
quoque  et  pariter  eruditissimum  mathematicum  Thomam 
Diggessaeum*  ex  meo  ore  non  insalutatum  relinque,  cui  etiam 
ex  animo  faveo  et  bene  cupio.  Utrique  autem  horum  librum 
nostrum  transmissum  ostende,  ut  et  illi  in  eum  disquirant  at- 
que suam  de  ejus  contentis  sententiam  libere  pronuntient. 
Quod  si  literis  ad  me  datis  praestiterint,  ego  et  respondere  et 
atnicitiam  in  posterum  cum  illis  colere  atque  de  rebus  philo- 
sophicis  et  mathematicis  jucunde  conferre  nequaquam  detrec- 
tabo.  Iterum  atque  iterum  diu  et  bene  vale.  Dabantur  Vra- 
niburgi,  calendis  Decembris,  anno  1590. 

TYCHO  BRAKE. 

Addidi  quaterna  exemplaria  meae  effigiei  nuper  Amstero- 
dami  cupro  insculptae.  Si  qui  sunt  apud  vos  excellentes 
poetae,  quales  in  foecunda  et  facunda  vestra,  et  terra  et  vena, 
plurimos  inveniri  non  dubito;  cuperem,  ut  argutum  aliquod 
epigramma  in  icona  hanc  atque  operum  meorum  commenda- 
tionem  delectationis  ergo  luderent.  Qua  in  re  eruditissimus 
dominus  Daniel  Rogersius,  suam  quoque  erga  me  probare 
posset  benevolentiam  modo  a  Reipublicae  serioribus  negotiis 
tantillulum  vacaretf. 

Clarissimo  inprimisque  erudito  viro  Domino  Thomce  Savillo, 
Anglo,  amico  suo  dilecto. 

*  This  is  the  same  person  whose  letter  to  Lord  Burghley  is  printed  at  p.  6  of  the 
present  volume. 

t  Daniel  Rogers  was  distinguished  in  the  literature  of  his  time.  I  have  not  been 
able  to  ascertain  whether  any  other  memorial  of  this  application  remains.  A  good 
portrait  of  Urahe's  is  inserted  in  the  Epist.  Astronom.  Franco/.  1610,  from  a  paint- 
ing taken  when  he  was  in  his  fortieth  year. 

D 


34  LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS. 


JOHN  BULKELEY  TO  THOMAS  HARRIOT. 

[MS.  Orig.  in  Sion  College.] 

Erudito  viro  Thomce  Harrioto  amico  suo  Johannes  Bulkelaus 
salutem  dicit. 

Obtemperavi  tibi  tandem,  mi  Harriote,  et  felici  auspicio  id 
factum  sit,  si  tacuissem  mea  mihi  non  meruissent,  aut  nunc 
fortasse  suo  judicio  perivit  sueto.  Non  eo  animo  aut  con- 
silio  haec  scripsi,  quo  laudem  hinc  mihi  aliquam  acquirere 
contenderem,  si  vituperim  effiigiam  voti  mei  compos  fiam. 
Legimus  in  prooemio  quarti  [libri]  Conicorum  Apollonii,  Co- 
nonem  Samiunr,  quern  Archimedes  vir  acerrimi  judicii  propter 
ejus  singularem  prudentiam  summis  laudibus  extulit,  a  Ni- 
cotele  Cyrenaeo  tanquam  non  recte  in  demonstrationibus  ver- 
satum  reprehensum  fuisse.  Scripsit  quoque  Eutocius  Asca- 
lonita  inventa  initasse  Erastosthenis  Nicomedem ;  atque  So- 
cratem,  Apollonio  oraculo  sapientissimum  judicatum,  nichi- 
lominus  carpebat  Aristophanes.  Denique  Archimedi  ipsi 
quandoquidem  non  defuit  reprehensor.  Quomodo  ego  spe- 
rabo  me  posse  carere  calumnia?  Verum  si  criticorum  mor- 
sibus  dilaniare  in  te  cudetur  faba,  qui  tua  culpa,  tua,  inquam, 
maxima  culpa,  praecipua  causa  fuisti  cur  haec  mea,  qualia- 
cumque  sint,  in  lucem  perclaram  prodierunt,  quae  antea  demi 
in  tuto  silentii  mcenibus  defensa  latebant.  Quamobrem  in 
tuam  tutelam  protegenda  suscipias  velim,  quoniam  tibi  tuo- 
que  nomini  ea  dicamus  tanquam  amicitiae  quae  inter  nos  mihi 
ob  virtutem  solam  interessit.  Hisce  igitur  laborantibus, 
ubi  opus  sit  suppetias  ferre  (uti  confido)  ex  humanitate  tua 
et  ingenii  acumine  non  dedignabere.  Vale.  Ex  aulula  Mona, 
pridie  calend.  Martii,  anno  1591*. 

*  This  letter  forms  a  dedication  to  a  large  work  by  Bulkeley  on  the  quadrature 
of  the  circle,  the  original  manuscript  of  which  is  in  the  library  of  Sion  College, 
and  is,  perhaps,  the  only  remaining  memorial  of  one  who  appears  to  have  been  an 
ingenious  mathematician,  considering  the  time  in  which  he  lived.  From  this  de- 
dication it  appears  that  Bulkeley,  under  the  advice  of  Harriot,  had  intended  to 
consign  his  work  to  the  press ;  and  the  reason  why  the  project  was  abandoned 
does  not  appear.  This  is  also  an  early  notice  of  Harriot  as  a  mathematician ;  al- 
though Gabriel  Harvey,  in  his  "  Pierces  Supererogation,"  4to  Lond.  1593,  p.  190, 
classes  him  as  a  "  profounde  mathematician,"  along  with  Digges  and  Dr.  Dee. 


LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC   SUBJECTS.  35 


EDMUND  JENTILL  TO  LORD  BURGHLEY. 

[MS.  Lansd.  77,  Art.  59.] 

October  1st,  1594. 

In  all  humilitie  (right  honorable)  have  I  presumed,  upon 
the  reportes  by  my  poore  wief  of  your  most  favorable  and 
gratious  meaninge  towardes  my  relief  and  release  in  this  my 
distressed  estate,  by  letter  to  solicite  your  lordship  and  to 
confesse  my  fault  unto  your  honor,  to  lay  before  you  suche 
frutes  of  my  studdies  as  maye  at  least  attenuate  the  offence, 
and  move  compassion  in  your  honors  mynd  for  my  delivery. 
My  cryme  is  counterfetinge  of  Forren  coyne  not  currant  in 
this  realme ;  urged  therunto,  I  doe  protest,  not  through  anye 
vitious  or  lascivious  kind  of  lyvinge,  but  through  meere  and 
extreame  want  of  mayntenance  to  susteyne  my  wief  in  her 
long  contynued  child-birth  sicknes,  the  relief  of  myself  and 
children,  buyinge  of  bookes,  paying  of  debtes  and  triall  of 
conclusions  mathematicall  and  serviceable  for  my  countryes 
good ;  the  frutes  and  finall  endes  wherof,  not  suche  as  are 
common  or  triviall,  but  rare  and  to  great  use  in  anie  state  or 
comonwelth,  not  fytt  for  vulgar  knowledge,  I  heere  moste 
humbly  offer  in  redemption  of  my  great  amisse  and  fault 
comitted,  to  bee  performed  within  some  smale  tyme  after  my 
release  and  some  mayntenance  with  the  recovery  of  my 
helth. 

First  an  instrument,  wherby  the  distance  to  anything,  to- 
gether with  the  height  and  breadth  therof,  at  one  stacion  or 
standinge  only,  shal  bee  obteyned. 

The  second,  a  perpetuall  motion  of  sufficient  force  to  dryve  , 

a  myll. 

The  third  a  payer  of  compasses,  which  shall  describe  all 
sortes  of  figures  geometricall  and  spiral  lynes,  and  maye,  for 
their  excellencye,  bee  termed  the  Euclidean  Compas. 

Howe  serviceable  theis  three  are,  and  espetially  the  two 
first,  for  all  kynd  of  services  as  well  at  sea  as  land  in  warr 
and  peace,  it  is  needles  to  dilate,  when  half  a  wourd  doth 
make  your  honor  knowe  as  muche.  Only  this  I  crave  in  re- 
garde  heerof  your  honorable  and  moste  favorable  meanes, 
either  by  warrant  from  your  lordship  and  my  honorable  good 
master  Sir  Thomas  Henage,  unto  the  Lord  Maior  for  my 
libertie  (beinge  as  muche  as  he  requireth),  or  otherwise  to 
acquaynt  her  moste  gratious  Majestic  with  theis  my  offers  to 
whome  they  are  wholy  dedicated,  and  of  whose  moste  excel- 
lent mercye  and  clemencye  (in  regarde  of  my  soone  deliverye) 
my  soule  is  well  confirmed  through  your  honors  mediacion, 

D  2 


36  LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS. 

that  untymely  death  through  sicknes  and  ymprisonment 
growinge  by  grief  of  mynd  in  sorrowe  of  my  faulte  prevent 
not  these  my  good  endevors ;  besides  the  edition  of  my  workes 
of  perspective  and  fortification,  such  as  hetherto  hath  not 
byn  scene  the  like  the  attaynment  unto  the  knowledge  wher- 
of,  hath  byn  cause  of  my  greatest  wantes,  and  want  the  only 
cause  of  my  offence  comitted.  Thus,  cravinge  pardon  for  my 
teadious  boldnes  proceedinge  from  a  troubled  contrite  harte, 
prayinge  for  your  lordship's  helth  in  all  honor  and  happynes, 
I  moste  humblye  ceace 

Your  honor's  poore  and  distressed  supliant, 

EDM.  JENTILL. 

To  the  right  honorable  his  singuler  good  lord 
The  lord  high  t /treasurer  of  England. 


INVENTIONS  BY  EDMUND  JENTILL. 

[MS.  Lansd.  113.  Art.  4.] 

Inventions  founde  of  late  by  Edmunde  Jentill  for  the  forte- 

fyinge  of  Her  Majestie's  Navye  and  the  benefitt  of  this 

countrey. 

A  device  whereby  twoe  menne  maye  be  sufficient  to  waye 
the  waytiest  anker  in  her  Majestie's  navye  with  greater  ex- 
pedition then  it  is  nowe  done  with  the  nomber  nowe  used. 

The  like  device  is  founde,  for  the  hoystinge  of  the  mayne 
yarde  with  the  like  expedition. 

A  perpetuall  motion  is  allso  founde  out  of  sufficient  force 
to  drive  a  mill  in  any  standinge  water,  or  quike  springe,  which 
maie  alsoe  be  converted  to  sundrie  other  uses  comodious  for 
all  estates,  which  have  hetherto  byn  supposed  to  be  unprac- 
tyzable. 

A  device  wonderfull  strange  is  alsoe  founde  out  whereby 
a  vessell  of  burden  maie  easilye  and  safely  by  guided  both 
against  the  winde  and  tide  *. 

*  Nothing  is  more  easy  than  to  picture  the  results  of  supposititious  inventions 
on  paper ;  a  remarkable  instance  may  be  seen  in  the  "  Famous  Historic  of  Friar 
Bacon,"  edited  by  W.  J.  Thorns,  p.  24-5 :— "  Art  oftentimes  doth  those  things 
that  are  impossible  to  armes,  which  I  will  make  good  in  some  few  examples.  I 
will  speak  onely  of  things  performed  by  art  and  nature,  wherein  shall  be  nothing 
magical :  and  first  by  the  figuration  of  art,  there  may  be  made  instruments  of 
navigation  without  men  to  rowe  in  them,  as  great  ships  to  brooke  the  sea,  only 
with  one  man  to  steere  them,  and  they  shall  sayle  far  more  swiftly  than  if  they 
were  full  of  men :  also  chariots  that  shall  move  with  an  unspeakable  force,  with- 


LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS.  37 

HENRY  MARSHALL  TO  LORD  BURGHLEY. 

[MS.  Lansd.  101,  Art.  16.  Grig.] 

Right  Honorable, — Forasmuch  as  I  have  of  late  devised 
two  rare  inventions,  the  which  may  be  profitable  to  my  con- 
try  e,  and  damageable  to  the  enemyes  thereof;  I  thought  it 
my  dutie  (having  found  your  honour  alwayes  my  especiall 
good  lord)  to  offer  the  discoverie  of  the  same  to  your  lord- 
ship before  anye  other.  The  which  if  your  honour  shall 
thinke  worthie,  maye  be  then  imparted  unto  Her  Majestic. 
The  first  is  an  engine,  whereby  the  walie  of  anye  towne  or 
castle  maye  be  defended  from  the  force  of  anye  canon :  and 
the  other  is  an  engyne,  which  shall  breake  the  araye  of  anye 
battell  being  readie  to  joyne :  the  which  engynes  are  easilie 
made.,  and  yett  neither  verie  chargeable  nor  paynefull  to  trans- 
porte.  And  because  I  understand  your  honour  to  be  de- 
lighted with  such  rare  inventions,  I  thought  it  good  to  make 
modelles  of  the  same,  whereby  your  lordship  may  the  easelier 
conceave  my  intention,  and  the  better  judge  of  the  benefitt 
and  sequell  pretended.  Thus  fearing  to  be  troublesome  to 
your  honour,  and  craving  pardon  for  this  my  rashe  boldnes, 
I  wish  your  honour  good  health  and  long  life  to  God's  plea- 
sure. 

Your  honour's  most  humble  in  all  duetifulnes, 

HENRY  MARSHALL. 
To  the  right  Honorable  Sir  William  Cecill,  Knight, 

Lord  Burghley,  Lord  High  Treasurer  of  England, 
London,  the  1st  of  June,  1595. 


EMERY  MOLINEUX  TO  LORD  BURGHLEY. 

[MS.  Lansd.  101,  Art.  17.  Orig.] 

1596. 

Right  Honorable, — As  I  have  ever  receaved,  so  I  ever 
acknowledge  your  honorable  favors  towardes  me,  and  where 
I  have  longe  endevored  to  be  a  helpinge  member  to  my 
contry  (as  God  enhableth  me,  by  whome  every  good  and 
profitable  thinge  is  effected,)  so  havinge  by  Him,  by  appa- 

out  any  living  creature  to  stirre  them.  Likewise,  an  instrument  may  be  made  to 
fly  withall,  if  one  sit  in  the  midst  of  the  instrument,  and  doe  turne  an  engine,  by 
which  the  wings  being  artificially  composed,  may  beat  ayre  after  the  manner  of  a, 
flying  bird." 


38  LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS. 

rent  approbation,  performed  matter  of  service  worthy  to  be 
imbraced,  I  cannot  but  in  all  duty  not  onely  acquaynt  your 
honnour  therewith,  but  yelde  me  redy  to  subject  myselfe 
and  it  to  your  honorable  disposition.  And  althoughe  I  can 
not  so  demonstrate  the  substance  thereof  as  were  fitt  your 
honnor  should  apprehend,  I  must  yelde  myselfe  to  your 
lordship's  good  conceipt,  assuringe  your  honnour  that  the 
service  shal  be  suche  (might  it  please  Her  Majestic  to  make 
use  of  it,)  as  former  tymes  have  not  attayned  unto.  The 
eflfectes  whereof  I  leave  either  to  the  judgment  of  some  that 
your  honnour  shall  appoint  to  surviewe  the  same,  or  to  the 
information  of  the  right  honorable  Sir  William  Knowles,,  Sir 
Henry  Knyvett,  Sir  John  Stanhopp,  Mr.  Thomas  Knyvett, 
and  others  whoe  have  been  alredy  partakers  of  the  same  by 
viewe,  humbly  prayinge  your  honnour  to  accept  myne  ende- 
vors,  arid  to  contynue  your  honorable  favours  no  further  then 
I  intend  my  desires  to  doe  your  lordship  and  your's  myne 
uttermost  service. 

Your  lordship's  ever  at  comaunde, 

EMERY  MOLINEUX. 

To  the  Right  Honorable  the  Lord  Burleighe, 
Lord  Highe  Treasurer  of  England. 


WILLIAM  LOWER  TO  THOMAS  HARRIOT. 

[MS.  Addit.  6789.  Orig.] 

Ira  'venti,  March  4th,  1611. 

Sir, — I  never  loved  huntinge  till  you  furnished  mee  with 
dogs,  I  will  henceforward  prove  another  Nemrode ;  indeed  I 
sought  both  arkes  and  tangents  in  the  tables  by  proportion 
onlie  ;  so,  in  a  worde,  you  have  made  me  see  my  faulte ;  in 
two  or  three  more  you  have  taughte  me  to  amende  it ;  onlie 
your  curre  dog  Petiscus  will  not  come  into  my  sighte :  but 
after  a  weekes  vaine  anger  and  points  in  seekinge  for  him,  I 
found  at  last  it  was  not  the  poore  curres  faulte,  but  Mr.  Bills, 
that,  sendinge  me  the  second  edition  of  the  Origonometria, 
sente  me  onlie  the  tables ;  so  as  turninge  the  pages  75,  76, 
78,  79>  of  the  first  edition  (which  is  all  I  have)  I  found  no 
such  thinge  as  you  sited,  nor  no  such  examples  as  you  added. 
This  is  not  the  first  time  that  Bill  hath  sent  me  imperfect 
copies ;  I  pray  let  him  understand  so  much.  So  you  see  I 
am  defeated  of  the  curre  dog,  savinge  what  I  pick  out  of 


LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS.  39 

your  letter,  which  indeed  is  not  enough  to  give  me  satisfac- 
tion. Let  Kitt,  when  he  goes  next  to  London,  speeke  to  Bill, 
or  att  the  Blackfriers,  for  a  perfect  copie  of  Petiscus ;  my 
brother  the  captaine  will  send  it  to  me  speedilie.  The 
touch  that  you  give  of  your  doctrine  of  differences  or  trian- 
gular riombers,  ....  me  of  them,  wherin  to  understand 
somethinge,  I  will  one  day  bee  a  begger  unto  you.  Your 
dog,  that  hunts  by  the  sines  onlie,  and  I  am  growen  familiar, 
and  he  is  an  excellent  dog ;  but  your  she  bitch  hath  no  fellow 
for .  .  .  .  ,  onlie  she  is  slow ;  I  had  not  lost  hir,  but  knew  hir 
goodnesse  wel  enough:  the  reason  why  I  did  nott  use  her  in 
the  former  workes,  was  because,  beinge  in  way  of  calculation 
by  the  tables  onlie  in  that  practise,  I  endevored  to  cleare  that 
way  of  all  rubbs ;  also  because  I  conceaved  it  to  be  the  short- 
est, I  hastned  (so  greedie  was  my  desire)  to  see  the  issue  of 
my  worke ;  so  that  by  the  assistance  of  thes  dogs  of  yours  I 
grow  so  confident  as  to  undertake  to  pursue  in  chace  anie 
game :  but  then  onlie  I  shal  be  sure  that  nothinge  doe  escape 
me,  when  you  shall  please  to  imparte  unto  me  a  betch  of 
your  triangular  kinde. 

I  need  not  bee  so  curious  to  send  you  my  doubts  in  indi- 
viduo,  for  howsoever  you  satisfie  me  in  private  as  you  have 
done  now,  nevertheless,  because  you  require  it,  I  have  sente 
them  in  two  supplements,  the  one  unto  my  letters  that  you 
have  alreadie,  the  other  unto  thes,  which,  unlesse  you  had 
remembered  me  of,  I  should  have  omitted  againe. 

My  worke  is  crowned  now  you  allow  of  it,  and  indeed  ther 
wanted  in  mee  nether  will  nor  industrie  to  accomplish  it,  nor 
in  you  will  nor  skill  to  instruct  me  in  the  sacred  wayes  of 
arte ;  be  you  therfore  ever  of  me  unconquerablie  respected, 
or  be  I  not  att  all. 

You  have  recomforted  mee  much  to  intimate  that  anie 
greate  difference  in  my  workes  will  discover  a  farther  mis- 
terie ;  for  I  was  almost  dismaied  to  find  thes  second  observa- 
tions give  an  Aphelie  different  for  the  former  3  or  4  degrees. 

Of  this  later  worke  I  send  you  all  the  numbers  given  and 
found,  and  had  also  of  manie  more  by  this  time,  if  the  impos- 
sible issue  of  this  last  worke  had  not  stayed  my  proceedinge  till 
I  receaved  your  censure  of  it.  As  you  direct  me  I  will  proceede 
to  doe  them  all,  for  I  am  growen'  verie  experte  in  this  calcu- 
lation. I  did  not  mistake  that  a  /3  in  the  diagramme  I  sent 
you  was  double  the  eccentricitie,  and  therfore,  before  the  re- 
cepte  of  your  letter,  in  this  second  worke  I  had  placed  /3  att 
the  center,  and  &>  att  the  centrorde,  not  onlie  that  a  jB  mighte 
still  remaine  with  Kepler  the  single  eccentricitie,  but  to  make 
it  also  corresponde  with  your  vice  royall  probleme  beare  with 


40  LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS. 

this  imitation.  Concerninge  the  Joveall  starres  I  writte  no- 
thinge  of  them  last,  because  I  had  nothinge  to  writte ;  for  in- 
deede,  although  both  I  and  the  yonge  philosopher  att  Han- 
besbrooke  have  often  and  in  verie  cleare  nights  (when  Pre- 
sepe  was  most  plaine  to  bee  scene  without  the  cylinder) ; 
when  wee,  I  say,  have  often  diligentlie  observed  Jupiter,  wee 
could  never  see  anie  thinge ;  I  impute  it  to  .the  dullnesse  of 
my  lighte,  for  onlie  with  your  greate  glasse  I  could  se  them 
in  London. 

That  you  have  made  so  manie  exellent  observations  of  them 
I  am  most  glad  of,  for  you  have  gotten  the  starte  of  all  in  li- 
mitinge  ther  periods. 

Ther  periods  are  verie  merveilous,  especiallie  that  of  Jovi 
proximus,  whos  scituation  also  is  no  lesse  merveilous,  beinge 
not  one  diameter  of  Jupiter  of  from  him.  Of  thes  thinges 
and  thos  other  mirabilia  qua  indies  juvenis,  I  longe  to  bee 
with  you  to  discourse  of  them.  My  wiffe  is  well.  Now  you 
know  all  my  comfortes.  I  have  lost  my  second  boy  also,  and 
wel  neere  eighty  catle  of  the  murraine,  and  the  die  still ;  now 
you  know  all  my  discomfortes  and  losses.  Farewell,  and  lett 
not  the  hugenesse  of  this  missive  discourage  you  from  reed- 
inge  of  it ;  doe  it  at  leisure  and  by  peeces  accordinge  to  your 
best  opportunities,  and  sometimes  use  the  power  you  have  in 
me,  which  is  to  dispose  of  mee  accordinge  to  the  utmost  of 
all  or  anie  of  my  abilities. 

Your  faithfull  frind, 

WILLIAM  LOWER. 

By  the  helpe  of  your  dogs,  I  will  revew  all  thos  workes  of 
anie  that  exhibite  the  distance  in  the  ellipses,  equal  or  neer- 
est  to  the  same  distance  found  before  (for  the  workes  uppon 
the  former  positions  of  $  in  the  eccentricke,  which  were 
onlie  to  find  out  this,  I  thinke  you  care  not  for) ;  and  when  I 
have  perfected  them,  I  will  send  them  unto  you,  with  all  the 
numbers  given  and  found,  whether  the  quesite  consent  or  no, 
since  you  so  require  it. 


LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS.  41 

WILLIAM  LOWER  TO  THOMAS  HARRIOT. 

[MS.  Addit.  6789.  Orig.] 

Ira'  venti,  April  13th,  1611. 

I  so  overwhelmed  you  the  last  time  with  a  longe  letter  as 
it  is  just  I  should  make  you  amends  now  with  one  as  shorte. 
To  send  you  none  at  all  (which  perchance  had  bene  best, 
consideringe  the  use  you  have  of  all  your  time)  I  could  not 
consent  unto,  out  of  the  addiction  and  delight  I  have  to  bee 
still  conversinge  with  you ;  therefore  I  will  onlie  signifie  how 
it  is  with  us,  and  so  an  end.  My  course  of  calculation  I  have 
stopte  untill  I  heare  from  you ;  the  two  greate  causes  of  my 
stay  I  declared  in  my  last  letters.  I  fell  since  into  Vieta's 
last  probleme  of  his  second  apendicle,  Apol.  Gal.*,  and  com- 
pared his  way  with  yours  that  you  last  gave  me :  but  to  con- 
iesse  a  truth  I  can  have  my  will  of  nether ;  and  the  probleme 
appeares  to  me  not  universall,  but  requires  determination ; 
for  let  the  b  a  given  have  the  same  sides  a  b,  ac,  that  Vieta' s 
hath,  and  lett  v'  s!l  be  the  same  that  Vieta  gives  ;  now  I  will 
give  a  A  that  shall  have  thes  sides,  so  as  it  shal  bee  impossi- 
ble to  find  anie  pointe  from  whence  lines  drawen  unto  the 
corners  be  in  the  given  rate,  and  that  is  by  giving  a  A  with 
the  same  sides  a  by  a  c,  but  in  such  position  as  the  <  b  a  c  be 
>  or  < ,  then  Vieta's  <  b  a  c,  in  such  measure  as  Vieta's  two 
circles  doe  nether  cut  nor  touch.  This  rubbe  put  me  out  of 
this  course,  wheruppon  I  betooke  me  to  your  problemes  for 
the  distinguishinge  of  the  sides  of  Ales?  whether  the  summe 
or  difference  of  the  sides  and  the  angle  adjacente  or  contained 
with  the  other  side  were  given  in  this.  I  proceed  still  with 
much  pleasure  and  satisfaction.  I  have  also  putt  in  order  all 
thos  propositions  which  you  also  gave  me,  but  I  had  copied 
in  lose  papers  and  with  ill  diagrammes,  so  that  all  the  thinges 
stand  well;  and  so  I  thanke  God  doe  we  also,  excepte  my 
catle,  which  have  al  this  winter  bene  persecuted  with  the 
murraine ;  since  Christmas  verie  neere  I  have  lost  100  beastes, 
— Vieta's  sacrifices  to  the  witch  Melutina  for  the  invention 
of  one  probleme.  But  I  skarce  keepe  my  promise  with  you. 
Farewell.  I  am  all  yours. 

WILLIAM  LOWER. 

To  his  especial  goodfrind,  Mr.  Thomas 
Harriott,  deliver  thes. 

*  The  Apollonius  Gallus  of  Vieta  was  first  published  in  1600,  and  contains  a 
restoration  of  the  lost  treatise  on  tangencies,  which  Pappus  describes  as  forming 
part  of  the  TOTTOS  avaXvopevos.  See  the  article  Apollonius  in  the  New  General 
Biographical  Dictionary,  which  was  written  by  the  editor  of  this  volume.  The 
problem  which  Lower  refers  to  is  one  of  the  most  general  in  the  series. 


42  LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS. 

WILLIAM  LOWER  TO  THOMAS  HARRIOT. 

[MS.  Addit.  6789.  Orig.] 

Ira'  venti,  Friday,  July  19th,  1611. 

Since  you  incourage  me  so  much  I  will  proceede  in  thos 
calculations  of  c?,  and  as  I  finish  anie  I  will  send  them  unto 

you ;  indeed  to  find  the  issue  so and  in  the  later  so 

impossible  to  be  reconciled,  had  utterlie  discouraged  me,  but 
that  now  by  your  letter  I  perceave  ther  may  bee  good  use 
made  even  of  ther  discordance,  therfore  of  this  I  will  say  no 
more  till  I  send  you  more.  The  leasure  that  the  countrie  life 
affordeth  us  here,  hath  given  me  meanes  to  run  over  manie 
things  since  I  left  the  course  of  calculation,  but  amongst 
others  the  3  vexations  of  scientificall  mortals  hath  held  me 
most,  to  wit,  the  squaringe  of  the  circle,  the  dublinge  of  the 
cube,  and  the  philosophers  stoone.  From  the  first  I  am 
come  of  handsomelie  enough,  and  have  made  myselfe  much 
sporte  in  the  discoverie  of  mine  owne  parallogismes,  but  in 
the  later  I  sticke  still,  and  am  like  to  make  you  sporte  here. 
I  come  fairelie  of,  but  indeed  I  have  here  much  otium,  and 
therefore  I  may  cast  awaye  some  of  it  in  vaine  pursuites, 
chusinge  alwayes  rather  to  doe  somethinge  worth  nothinge 
then  nothinge  at  all.  How  farre  I  had  proceeded  in  this,  I 
ment  now  to  have  given  you  an  account,  but  that  the  reporte 
of  the  unfortunate  Erie's  relapse  into  calamitie  makes  me  be- 
leive  that  you  are  enough  troubled,  both  with  his  misfortunes 
and  my  lady's  troubles ;  and  so  a  discourse  of  this  nature 
would  be  unseasonable.  Neverthelesse,  give  me  leave  to 
crave  a  worde  or  two  in  answere  of  thes  doubts,  which  I  will 
beesilie  propound  as  followeth : — 

1.  First  whether  O  and  ([   be  bodies  so  difficulte  to  be 
dissolved  as  alchemists  affirme,  I  meane  by  dissolution  (as  I 
thinke  they  doe),  that  they  must  bee  petrifyed  and  distilled  ? 

2.  If  they  may  bee  dissolved,  whether  with  one  simple  alone 
or  with  manie  ? 

3.  If  they  may  be  dissolved  and  petrifyed,  whether  ther 
rectify ed  partes,  beinge  conjoyned  againe,  will  be  multiplied 
in  virtue  ? 

4.  And  lastlie,  that  which  should  have  bene  asked  first,  an 
sit  elixir  ? 

But  at  this  time,  this  much  is  to  much.  I  am  sorrie  to 
heare  of  the  new  troubles  ther,  and  pray  for  a  good  issue  of 
them,  especiallie  for  my  ladie's  sake  and  her  fine  litle  ones. 
So  for  the  presente  I  rest,  as  of  old,  Your  true  frind, 

WILLIAM  LOWER. 
To  his  especiall  good  frind,  Mr.  Thomas 

Harriott,  att  Sion. 


LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS.  43 

THOMAS  AYLESBURIE  TO  THOMAS  HARRIOT. 

[MS.  Addit.  6789.  Orig.] 

Margett,  April  15th,  1613. 

Good  Mr.  Harriotts, — Bycause  I  have  no  other  newes  to 
send  you,  you  shall  only  receave  the  bare  relacion  of  our 
voyage  from  Chatham  to  Margett  att  the  North  Forland, 
which  I  can  tell  you  in  breiffe,  though  it  was  to  us  (new  sea- 
men) very  tedious.  For  wee  went  on  board  the  sixt  of  April, 
and  are  but  now  arrived  att  the  Foreland  the  15.,  which  you 
will  say  is  very  longe,  but  that  you  know  the  danger  of  the 
sands,  and  contrarie  winds  too,  if  yours  att  Sion  agree  with 
ours  att  sea.  I  have  learned  here  certaine  strange  words 
amonge  our  mariners,  which  to  interpret  will  require  some 
tyme.  If  we  had  bene  at  Vlushinge,  I  mought  perhaps  have 
told  you  more,  but  I  could  forbeare  writinge  to  you  noe 
longer,  though  to  little  purpose,  savinge  only  to  lett  you  un- 
derstand that  wheresoever  I  am,  I  am  bound  to  remember 
you,  and  soe  rest 

Your  very  loyteringe, 

but  lovinge  skollar, 

THOMAS  AYLESBURIE. 

I  must  not  forgett  to  tell  you,  your  glasses  have  fitted  my 
Lord  excellentlie  well ;  and  soe,  as  I  feare  you  will  leese  them 
both,  but  not  without  your  owne  consent,  I  have  noe  aucto- 
ritie  to  promise  till  you  give  leave*. 


JOHN  RUDSTON  TO  THOMAS  HARRIOT. 

[MS.  Addit.  6789.  Orig.] 

June  9th,  1615. 

Sir, — As  by  experience  I  have  found  your  singular  hu- 
maintie  by  our  late  conferences,  to  make  good  the  noble  fame 
of  your  great  learning,  so  hath  itt  emboldened  me  by  this  my 
letter,  to  request  that  you  would  send  me  word  by  this  bearer 
what  the  variation  of  the  needle  is  about  Mosco.  For  at  this 
present  I  have  such  an  ympediment  fallen  into  my  toes,  that 
I  cannot  walke  abroade,  otherwise  I  had  beene  the  presenter 

*  Aylesburie  is  frequently  mentioned  as  one  of  the  scientific  circle  of  Briggs,        / 
Harriot,  Warner,  and  others.     Some  of  his  astronomical  observations  are  preserved 
in  MS.  Birch,  4408,  and  are,  as  far  as  I  know,  the  only  remaining  memorials  of 
his  attachment  to  science. 


44  LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS. 

of  this  my  request  unto  you  myselfc,  which,  if  it  might  have 
beene,  I  should  then  have  moved  some  other  questions,  viz. 
whether  it  is  probable  that  the  variation  can  be  in  any  place 
of  the  world  180  degrees,  or  the  north  point  of  the  needle 
stand  directly  to  the  south.  Allso  whether  a  shippe  sailing 
right  east  or  west  by  the  compasse,  keepes  upon  a  parallel!, 
as  the  common  received  opinion  amongst  maryners  is,  which 
I  thinke  not,  because  the  east  and  west  of  the  compasse  is  a 
tangent  to  the  parallell,  but  how  little  soever  it  so  continues 
in  sailing,  it  is  a  portion  or  arch  of  the  great  circle  of  the  east 
and  west,  and  therefore  (I  conceive)  cannot  but  decline  from 
the  parallell.  But  ceasing  to  trouble  you  with  these  manner 
of  questions,  I  crave  perdon  for  this  my  boldnes,  resting 

Att  your  command, 

JOHN  RUDSTON*. 

To  his  very  goodfrend,  Mr.  Haryott  in 
Black-fry  ars,  be  these  delivered. 


THOMAS  AYLESBURIE  TO  THOMAS  HARRIOT. 

[MS.  Addit.  6789.  Orig.] 

Newniarkett,  January  19th,  1618-9. 

Sir, — Though  I  have  bene  yet  soe  little  a  while  att  New- 
markett,  that  I  have  not  any  thing  of  moment  to  ymport,  yet 
I  thinke  it  not  amisse  to  write  a  bare  salutations,  and  let  you 
know,  that  in  theise  wearie  journeys  I  am  oftentimes  com- 
forted with  the  remembrance  of  your  kind  love  and  paynes 
bestowed  on  your  loytering  scholar,  whose  little  credit  in  the 
way  of  learning  is  aUwaies  underpropped  with  the  name  of 
soe  worthie  a  maister.  The  comet  being  spent,  the  talke  of 
it  still  runnes  current  here.  The  King's  Majesty  before  my 
comming  spake  with  one  of  Cambridg  called  Olarentia  (a 
name  able  to  beget  beleefe  of  some  extraordinarie  qualities), 
but  what  satisfaction  he  gave  I  cannot  yet  learne ;  here  are 
papers  out  of  Spayne  about  it,  yea  and  from  Roome,  which  I 
will  endeavour  to  gett,  and  meane  that  you  shall  partake  of 
the  newes  as  tyme. 

Cura  ut  valeas  et  me  ames,  who  am  ever  trulie  and  unfayn- 
edly  yours  att  command, 

THOMAS  AYLESBURIE. 

To  my  right  woor t hie  f rend,  Mr.  Thomas 
Harriot,  att  Syon,  theise. 

*  An  astronomical  treatise  by  John  Rudston  on  the  "  great  conjunction  of  Ju- 
piter and  Saturn"  in  1023,  is  preserved  in  MS.  Harl.  5211. 


LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS.  45 


THOMAS  HARRIOT  TO  THE  DUKE  OF 
NORTHUMBERLAND. 

[MS.  Harl.  6002.] 

Syon,  June  13th,  1619. 

Sir, — When  Mr.  Warner  and  Mr.  Hues  were  last  at  Sion, 
it  happened  that  I  was  perfecting  my  auntient  notes  of  the 
doctrine  of  reflections  of  bodies,  unto  whom  I  imparted  the 
mysteries  thereof,  to  the  end  to  make  your  lordship  ac- 
quainted with  them  as  occasion  served.  And  least  that  some 
particulars  might  be  mistaken  or  forgotten,  I  thought  best 
since  to  set  them  down  in  writing,  whereby  also  nowe  at 
times  of  leasure,  when  your  minde  is  free  from  matters  of 
greater  waight,  you  may  thinke  and  consider  of  them,  if  you 
please.  It  had  been  very  convenient,  I  confess,  to  have 
written  of  this  doctrine  more  at  large,  and  particularly  to 
have  set  downe  the  first  principles,  with  such  other  of  ele- 
mentall  propositions,  as  all  doubtes  might  have  been  pre- 
vented ;  but  my  infirmitie  is  yet  so  troublesome,  that  I  am 
forced^  as  well  that  as  other  traits,  to  let  alone  till  time  of 
better  abilitie.  In  the  meane  time  I  have  made  choyce  of 
these  propositions,  in  whose  explication  you  shall  find,  I 
hope,  the  summe  of  all  that  of  this  argument  is  reasonable  to 
be  delivered.  And  if  any  doubtes  doe  arise  either  of  the 
hypothesis  therein  used,  or  of  the  concomitants  and  conse- 
quences therein  also  intimated,  although  upon  due  considera- 
tion onely  they  may  be  resolved,  yet  because  I  am  beforehand 
in  consideration  of  these  matters,  I  shall  be  ready  when  I 
have  notice  of  them  to  give  your  lordship  full  satisfaction  for 
your  ease.  And  seeing  that  my  purpose,  God  willing,  is 
within  a  few  days  to  see  your  lordship,  I  cease  from  more 
wordes,  resting,  &c.* 

T.  HARRIOT. 

*  The  Harl.  MSS.,  generally  ascribed  to  Harriot,  and  even  by  the  late  Professor 
Rigaud,  are  in  the  handwriting  of  Sir  Charles  Cavendish.  In  MS.  Harl.  6083  is 
a  paper  in  the  autograph  of  Harriot,  "  de  numeris  triangularibus,"  which  appears 
to  have  hitherto  escaped  the  notice  of  his  biographers.  According  to  Aubrey,  the 
Duke  of  Northumberland  gave  Harriot  a  pension  of  .£400  per  annum,  and  to  Ro- 
bert Hues  and  Walter  Warner  he  gave  £40  (Lives,  p.  368).  Hues  was  the  author 
of  a  popular  little  work,  de  nsu  globorum,  which  passed  through  several  editions, 
and  was  also  translated  into  English.  I  do  not  know  whether  a  Mr.  Hues,  who 
is  mentioned  in  MS.  Harl.  4728,  p.  5,  as  having  been  a  chaplain  at  the  Bermudas, 
be  the  same  person. 


46  LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS. 

SAMUEL  TURNER  TO  THOMAS  HARRIOT. 

[MS.  Addit.  6789.  Grig.] 

Sir, — These  shall  request  you  to  forgive  me  my  absence 
untill  to  morrowe ;  then  I  shall  give  you  a  more  particular 
accounte  of  my  discourse  with  Mayerne.  In  the  meane  time, 
I  shall  lett  you  knowe  that  he  cannot  possibly  com  to  Lon- 
don, thoughe  he  have  manny  occasions  to  invite  him  to  it, 
but  he  desiers  much  to  see  you  there ;  but  betweene  this  and 
twesday  he  will  send  you,  under  his  hand,  the  methode  that 
he  wolde  advise  you  in  the  cure*.  Tomorrowe  I  shall  see 
you  myselfe.  In  the  meane  time,  I  remaine 

Your  assured  frende, 

SAM.  TURNER. 

To  his  very  good  frende,  Mr.  Harlot,  give  these. 


HENRY  BRIGGS  TO  THOMAS  LYDYAT. 

[MS.  Bodl.  313.  Orig.] 

Good  Mr.  Lydiat, — My  desire  was  to  have  seen  you  here 
this  Act,  and  to  have  enjoyed  your  company  and  conference 
about  our  common  business,  the  furthering  of  such  as  desire 
to  understand  the  mathematics,  and  to  have  desired  you  to 
have  holpen  me  to  Origanus,  whereof  I  should  have  some 
continual  use.  I  pray  you  therefore  send  it  me  safe,  and 
leave  it  for  me,  if  I  be  not  in  town,  with  Mr.  Crane  of  New 
College,  my  very  good  friend,  or  when  you  think  good,  that 
at  my  coming  home  I  may  not  fail  to  have  it.  I  am  still  at 
my  logarithms,  and  can  neither  finish  them  to  my  mind  nor 
let  them  alone.  If  your  calling,  being  of  so  high  a  nature, 
would  give  you  leave  seriously  to  intend  other  business,  I 
should  intreat  you  to  strive  to  get  out  your  meditations  and 
great  pains,  and  to  demonstrate  every  thing  as  you  go,  with- 
out which  I  think  you  cannot  have  that  acceptance  and  ap- 
plause that  your  great  pains  have  deserved.  But  we  that 
have  no  such  eminent  business  may  be  busied  about  these 

*  Harriot  died  on  the  2nd  of  July,  1621,  of  a  cancerous  ulcer  in  the  lip.  1 
give  this  short  letter  as  a  biographical  illustration.  In  the  same  volume  are  drafts 
of  two  letters  from  Harriot  to  his  physicians,  detailing  the  nature  of  his  complaint, 
and  dated  in  1614  and  1615,  which  shows  that  he  must  have  been  harassed  with 
this  disease  for  some  years.  Theodore  Mayerne,  mentioned  in  this  note,  was  a 
very  eminent  physician  at  the  time ;  but  it  does  not  appear  to  be  generally  known 
that  several  volumes  of  medical  collectanea  in  his  autograph  are  preserved  in  the 
Cambridge  Public  Library. 


LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS.  47 

trifles  in  respect,  though  in  themselves  they  deserve  to  be  of 
good  account.  Thus  wishing  you  all  happiness  and  success 
to  your  liking,  I  take  my  leave. 

Your  very  assured  loving  friend, 

HENRY  BRIGGS. 
From  Merton  Coll:  this  11  July,  1623. 


THOMAS  LYDYAT  TO  HENRY  BRIGGS. 

[MS.  Bodl.  313.] 

Mr.  Briggs, — There  was  delivered  to  me  yesterday,  in  the 
afternoon,  at  Banbury,  by  one  of  my  neighbour  ministers,  a 
letter  from  you  bearing  date  the  11  of  July,  i.  e.  Friday  was 
sennenet,  which  he  said  was  delivered  to  him  yesterday  was 
sennenet,  the  morrow  after  the  Act.  And  touching  that  you 
write  therein  about  your  Origanus,  for  which  I  thank  you, 
and  your  Kepler :  because  you  signified  you  were  likely  to 
be  from  home,  I  have  written  to  Mr.  Crane  of  New  College, 
with  wrhom  you  wished  me  to  leave  them  in  your  absence, 
and  sent  money  to  buy  others  of  the  same  for  me,  or  rather 
for  yourself,  because,  as  I  told  you,  yours  were  somewhat 
bruised  and  wronged  by  my  carriage,  and  peradventure  might 
be  more  in  the  recarriage. 

Now  whereas  you  renew  your  motion  of  demonstrating, 
thereto  I  answer  still,  as  before,  bene  mones.  And  whenso- 
ever you  or  any  man  else  from  generality  shall  proceed  to 
particular  specifying  of  any  assertion  of  mine  not  sufficiently 
demonstrated  and  proved  according  to  the  nature  thereof,  I 
will,  by  God's  grace,  do  my  best  endeavour  to  demonstrate 
and  prove  it  better.  But  I  hold  not  a  diagramme  the  only 
way  and  means  of  demonstrating,  nor  so  generally  necessary 
as  you  seem  to  urge.  To  give  you  an  instance ;  I  met  the 
other  day  at  London,  with  Lansbergius  his  Progymnasmata 
Astronomise  restitutae,  where  in  the  10  pag.  applying  the 
sun's  parallaxe  to  Hipparchus  his  ^Equinoctial  observations, 
to  make  them  serve  his  turn,  he  sets  down  a  diagramme  to 
demonstrate  that  the  true  vernal  aequinox  is  sooner,  and  the 
true  autumnal  later  than  the  apparent,  in  regard  of  the  paral- 
laxe, which  to  me  seems  superfluous.  For  having  granted 
that  the  parallaxe  makes  the  sun  seem  lower  than  truth,  he 
that  cannot  thereupon  conceive  that,  in  his  ascent,  he  attains 
the  vernal  sooner  than  he  seems  to  attain  it,  and  contrarywise 
in  his  descent  he  seems  to  attain  the  autumnal  sooner  than 


48  LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS. 

he  doth  attain  it;  and  consequently  the  vernal  true  must 
needs  be  sooner,  and  the  autumnal  true  later  than  the  appear- 
ing :  say  I,  he  that  cannot  conceive  the  necessity  hereof 
without  a  diagramme,  is  a  verier  dunce  than  myself,  and  not 
far  from  that  itching  morbo  demonstrandi  that  some  have 
complained  of  before  me.  In  a  word,  I  hold  it  as  absurd  to 
require  diagrammes  where  they  are  needless,  as  not  to  put 
them  where  is  need.  And  if  there  be  any  that  will  not  look 
upon  my  writings  for  want  of  diagrammes,  they  may  look 
beside  them,  and  they  will  for  me. 

Further  to  acquaint  you  with  my  studies,  I  have  within 
this  twelvemonth,  since  my  last  being  at  Oxford,  scribled  out 
three  inchoate  and  imperfect  treatises  of  astronomy  :  the  first, 
of  the  obliquity  of  the  zodiak  in  our  age,  which  repulsing 
the  insensible  inobservable  parallaxe,  and  the  imaginary  re- 
gular refraction  obtruded  by  Tycho,  I  find  with  Regiomon- 
tanus  and  the  Landgrave,  to  be  23|  degrees  at  the  most :  the 
second,  of  the  sun's  apparent  anomaly  and  eccentricity, 
which  I  have  by  many  observations  confirmed  to  be  accord- 
ing as  I  before  supposed,  18|-  days,  and  333^,  whereof  the 
radius  is  1005000 ;  with  the  greatest  prosthaphaeresis,  igr.  54 
str.  42  sec. :  the  third  is  of  the  place  of  the  Sun's  Apogaeum  ; 
for  the  reversing  whereof  to  the  ^Estine  Solstice  and  begin- 
ning of  Cancir,  I  have  with  much  labour  found  out  above 
fifty  good  observations  of  Waters,  the  Landgraves,  Byrgius 
his,  and  Tycho's  own  last  Bohemicks.  But  speed  these  as 
they  may,  with  diagrammes  or  without,  I  am  resolved  against 
the  bringing  in  of  the  Gregorian  year  and  calendar  into  our 
country,  to  oppose  my  great  Period  or  Annus  Magnus ;  and, 
with  God's  help,  to  maintain  against  whatsoever  Jesuit  or 
Papist ;  and  in  regard  of  the  contempt  and  disgrace  that  hath 
been  offered  my  poor  self  and  it,  to  stand  for  a  reward  of  my 
pains  in  finding  or  restoring  of  it.  But  haste  breaks  off  this 
idle  talk.  I  was  even  chiding  ripe  with  my  neighbour  mi- 
nister for  keeping  your  letter  so  long  in  his  hand.  I  know 
not  whether  he  doubted  me  to  be  the  man  to  whom  it  was 
meant,  because  you  endorsed  it  to  Alkerton  in  Buckingham- 
shire. Indeed  my  direct  way  to  Alkerton  from  London, 
whence  I  came  upon  Friday  was  sennenet,  the  llth  of  July, 
which  day  your  letter  bears  date,  is  to  Ailesbury,  and  so  all 
along  through  Buckinghamshire ;  but  Alkerton,  my  native 
soil  and  dwelling-place,  is  in  the  utmost  skirt  of  Oxfordshire 
northward,  as  I  have  heretofore,  although  not  demonstrated, 
yet  declared  without  a  diagram  me  in  mine  Astronomical 
Epistle,  a  copy  whereof  I  remember  I  gave  you.  And  from 
thence  at  this  time,  I  thank  God,  in  health,  I  take  leave  of 


LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS.  49 

you ;  the  23  of  Julian  July,  and  4th  of  ours,  on  Wednesday 
Morning,  1623. 

Yours,  THOMAS  LYDYAT. 


THOMAS  MAN  TO  THOMAS  LYDYAT. 

[MS.  Bodl.  313,  Orig.] 

April  19th,  1625. 

Sir, — In  your  letter,  written  to  Mr.  Crane,  and  dated  the 
23rd  of  July,  1623,  you  made  mention  of  a  manuscript,  which 
was  a  paraphrase  of  Ptolomie's  Almagest,  and  extant  in  our 
Library* :  out  of  which  you  desired  to  have  copied  out  the 
beginning  of  the  third  book  so  far  as  to  those  words  answer- 
ing the  Greek  TOVTOW  8'  ov T&>9  e^ovrwv,  &c.,  together  with  the 
marginal  notes,  and  if  there  were  ought  else  to  be  found  either 
in  the  beginning,  or  end  thereof,  or  any  where  else  concerning 
the  antiquity  and  author  of  it.  To  give  you  satisfaction 
herein,  Mr.  Warden  hath  taken  great  care  and  pains ;  for  he 
hath  employed  one  of  our  fellows  in  copying  it  out,  and  hath 
transcribed  it  himself.  You  shall  receive  both  the  copies  by 
the  bearer  hereof,  Mr.  William  Griffith ;  but  I  fear  neither  of 
them  will  answer  your  expectation.  For  first,  whereas  you 
suppose  this  manuscript  to  be  a  paraphrase  of  Ptolomy,  it 
appears  plainly  by  the  same  book  being  extant  in  the  library 
of  All  Souls5  College,  that  it  is  only  a  mere  translation.  In 
the  preface  of  which  book,  after  a  strong  commendation  of 
this  Ptolomy  and  his  work,  there  is  some  mention  made  of 
this  translation.  The  words,  because  they  are  a  sufficient 
proof  hereof,  and  will  satisfy  your  demand  concerning  the 
author  and  antiquity  of  it,  I  have  sent  you  as  I  find  them  at 
the  end  of  the  preface;  and  they  are  these  :  Liber  hie  prcecepto 
Maimonis  regis  Arabum,  qui  regnavit  in  Baldath,  a  Alahazer 
filio  Josephifilii  Matte  Arismetici,  et  Sergio  filii  Elbe  Yplano, 
in  anno  12  et  2000  Sectce  Sarracenorum  translatus  est ;  qui 
quidem  liber  est  Magnus  dictus  Almagesti,  quern  Bartholomceus 
Bheleudensis  de  scientia  stellarum,  et  motuum,  qui  sunt  in 
ccelOy  conscripsit.  The  same  translation,  but  without  this 
preface,  is  extant  in  the  same  Library,  excus.  a  Petro  Liech- 
tenstein, Colon.  Venetiis,  1535.  Again,  that  clause  which  you 
aim  at  especially,  as  I  understood  by  Mr.  Doctor  Bainbridge, 

*  The  manuscript  here  referred  to  is  probably  that  mentioned  in  Bernard's 
Catalogue  (fol.  Oxon.  1697,  p.  37.)  under  the  title  of  "  Ptolomaei  almagestum  ex 
Arabica  in  Latinam  linguam  versum."  This  forms  No.  281  of  the  manuscripts  in 
the  library  of  New  College. 

E 


50  LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS. 

and  which  in  our  manuscript  is  thus  in  the  text,  si  in  consi- 
der ationibus  decepti  fuerimus  in  quart  a  diei,  ut  sit  inter  ipsam 
et  suam  differentiam  quarta  diei ;  this  clause,  I  say,  is  not 
found  in  the  manuscript  or  printed  book  of  All  Souls ;  in  the 
printed  book  not  at  all;  and  in  the  MS.  'tis  only  in  the  mar- 
gin thus  :  ut  sit  inter  ipsam  et  suam  differentiam  quarta  diei. 
Other  diversities  of  reading  in  All  Souls'  MS.  you  shall  find 
noted  in  the  margin  of  one  of  these  copies.  As  for  the  mar- 
ginal notes  in  our  MS.,  Mr.  Warden  hath  with  great  labour 
transcribed  them ;  they  being  written  in  a  very  small  charac- 
ter, and  full  of  abbreviations.  This  is  all  I  thought  good  to 
acquaint  you  with  concerning  this  matter.  If  you  shall  de- 
sire to  be  farther  certified  in  any  special  point  out  of  this  MS., 
you  shall  find  me  (besides  others)  as  willing  to  perform  at  any 
time,  as  now  to  promise  my  best  furtherance  therein ;  and  so 
I  leaving  you  to  God's  protection,  rest 

Your  friend, 
THOMAS  MAN. 


THOMAS  LYDYAT  TO  THOMAS  MAN. 

[MS.  Bodl.  313.] 

Alkerton,  May  12th,  1625. 

Sir, — Touching  the  letter  I  received  from  you,  dated  April 
the  19th,  almost  three  weeks  since,  together  with  the  tran- 
script out  of  the  Latin  paraphrase  of  Ptolemy,  as  I  termed  it 
in  my  letter,  wherein  I  desired  it  to  be  sent  me  almost  two 
years  agone,  then  deeming  it  a  matter  of  no  greater  moment 
or  difficulty,  but  that  I  might  easily  have  obtained  it  within 
two  or  three  days ;  whereas  you  write,  you  fear  neither  of  the 
copies  will  answer  mine  expectation  :  truly  mine  expectation 
thereof  was  no  greater  than  I  signified  in  my  letter,  and  had 
before  set  forth  in  print,  and  given  copies  thereof  into  your 
library,  that  you  needed  not  to  be  ignorant  of  the  matter. 
But  I  must  confess  it  fell  out  very  greatly  contrary  to  mine 
expectation,  that  it  was  so  long  differred,  which  I  imagined 
might  have  been  so  soon  obtained;  and  that  made  me  at 
length  the  more  earnestly  to  urge  not  only  to  others  of  your 
fellows,  my  kind  friends,  according  as  I  met  with  them,  but 
in  the  end  also  to  your  worthy,  and  by  me  accordingly  re- 
spected, Mr.  Warden  himself;  I  say  the  more  earnestly  and 
almost  obstinately  to  urge  that  which  in  the  beginning  I  did 
not  so  much  respect :  because  I  began  to  suspect,  that  not  the 
difficulty  of  the  matter,  but  some  sinister  surmise  arising  upon 


LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS.  51 

the  impairing  of  my  credit  amongst  you  was  the  cause  of  the 
differring  of  it  so  long,  contrary  to.,  I  will  riot  say,  your  pro- 
mise, but  my  expectation.  Wherein  I  accounted  myself  not 
a  little  wronged,  yet  not  by  you,  but  by  some  other,  by  whose 
means  I  had  been  so  much  discredited  amongst  you  of  that 
excellent  society ;  whose  good  opinion  of  me  I  have  ever  yet 
esteemed,  and  so  shall  esteem  ever  while  I  live,  as  one  of  my 
greatest  worldly  comforts. 

Now  for  your  reasons  why  you  fear  your  transcripts  wdll 
not  answer  mine  expectation :  first  because  it  appears  plainly 
to  be  only  a  mere  translation  which  I  supposed  to  be  a  para- 
phrase :  I  termed  it  so  by  reason  of  the  clauses  here  and 
there  inserted  more  than  the  text,  and  for  illustration  of  the 
text,  which  is  the  property  of  a  paraphrase  ;  and  I  thought  I 
might  the  boldlier  so  term  it  because  Scaliger  had  likewise 
termed  it  before  me,  namely,  in  his  Tract,  de  Emend.  Temp., 
pag.  370,  calling  both  the  author  Paraphrasten  Arabem,  and 
the  translation  itself,  Paraphrasin.  As  for  the  words  you 
transcribed  out  of  the  end  of  the  preface  of  All  Souls5  MS.,  to 
satisfy  my  demand  concerning  the  author  and  antiquity  of 
it :  the  antiquity  of  the  Arabique  was  no  part  of  my  demand 
or  doubt :  as  having  seen  the  same  long  since,  not  only  in  the 
forealleged  place  of  Scaliger,  but  before  in  Christman's  Ap- 
pendix to  Alfrugan,  pag.  471,  out  of  a  MS.  of  the  Palatine 
Library :  neither  yet  the  antiquity  of  the  first  Latin  transla- 
tion out  of  the  Arabique :  which,  out  of  the  same  place,  and 
also  otherwise,  is  sufficiently  known  to  have  been  procured 
by  the  Emperor  Frederick  the  Second,  sirnamed  Siculus  : 
but  my  demand  was  concerning  the  antiquity  of  your  own 
particular  copy  of  that  translation.  Nevertheless  you  have 
done  well  that  you  have  transcribed  those  words  touching  the 
Arabic,  and  thank  you  for  it. 

Concerning  the  second  cause  of  your  fear,  namely  the 
clause  that  Mr.  Dr.  Bainbridge  gave  you  to  understand  I  did 
especially  aim  at :  neither  did  I  ever  tell  him  so  much,  nor 
any  man  else,  neither  is  it  true  :  neither  doth  that  paraphras- 
tical  insertion,  being  either  wholly  or  partly  omitted  in  other 
MSS.  or  printed  copies,  make  much  either  for  or  against  the 
goodness  of  your  own.  But  the  clause  which  I  did  indeed 
especially  aim  at,  and  in  regard  whereof  chiefly  I  did  and  do 
term  your  old  Latin  translation  of  the  Almagest  a  paraphrase, 
is  that  immediately  following  those  words  cited  by  me  in  the 
top  of  the  32nd  page  of  my  Astronomy  epistle,  a  circulo  ad 
circulum  [antequam  demonstraret] ,  have  both  your  tran- 
scripts :  but  as  I  have  read  it  heretofore,  because  I  could 
make  no  sense  of  the  other,  and  thereupon  made  an  annota- 

E  2 


52  LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS. 

tion,  which  some  of  my  learned  friends  have  seen  almost  two 
years  agone  :  ad  quern,  or  juxta  quern,  or  quod  dirigent  con- 
sider ationes  positas.  Touching  your  two  transcripts,  I  un- 
derstand the  fairer  of  them  to  be  Mr.  Warden's  own  hand- 
writing :  for  which  I  request  you  to  return  him  from  me  many 
dutiful  thanks ;  withal  signifying  unto  him  that  I  had  not  so 
little  wit  or  manners  either,  as  to  wish  himself  to  be  at  such 
pains  :  but  used  his  name  in  my  letter  only  because  I  supposed 
he  knew  best  wiiom  to  employ  about  it.  Concerning  the 
point  in  controversy  about  the  confounding  or  dividing  of  two 
of  Hipparchus  his  vernal  observations,  I  pray  you  return  my 
commendations  to  your  mathematic  reader,  whose  I  under- 
stand the  other  transcript  to  be,  with  many  thanks  likewise 
for  his  pains.  And  whereas  in  the  marginal  notes  of  your 
manuscript  there  is  one  against  the  vernal  observations,  which 
either  I  had  not  before  marked,  or  else  have  since  forgotten, 
namely,  pro  prima  est  secunda  vel  transposita :  I  desire  him 
to  send  me  word  whether  that  appear  to  be  of  the  same  hand 
and  antiquity  with  the  other.  Again,  whereas  in  his  tran- 
script against  those  words,  et  post  annum,  transcribed  in  the 
text,  but  afterward  blotted  out  again,  there  is  moreover  ad- 
joined this  marginal  note,  et  post  annum  deleantur,  whether 
that  be  the  ancient  censure  of  either  of  All  Souls'  copies,  the 
manuscript  or  the  printed,  or  his  own  censure :  because  all 
those  three  words  are  quite  left  out  of  them  both  without  any 
marginal  note  or  censure  at  all.  In  a  word,  because  the  un- 
certainty which  of  the  three  copies  he  took  for  the  ground  of 
his  transcript  breeds  some  confusion  to  mine  understanding 
of  his  diverse  readings  in  the  margin :  I  request  him  to  be  at 
so  much  the  more  pains  as  to  transcribe  all  that  concerns  the 
same  one  or  two  vernal  observations,  being  not  half  a  score 
lines,  from  et  post  hoc,  to  fere  per  5  horas,  word  for  word, 
/distinctly  and  severally  out  of  all  three  copies,  with  such 
/  marginal  notes  as  each  of  them  have :  and  thereto  to  add  the 
fourth,  which  I  understand  to  be  in  Sir  Henry  Saville's  Ma- 
/  thematic  Library,  and  which,  I  doubt  not,  he  may  easily  ob- 
*-  tain  in  regard  of  his  acquaintance  with  Mr.  Briggs.  And  to 
him  I  desire  you  both  to  have  me  heartily  commended,  thank- 
ing him  for  Vieta  his  Gregorian  Calendar,  which  I  received 
from  him  a  se'nnight  since :  touching  which  I  purpose,  God 
willing  (if  my  building  hinder  me  not  over  much),  to  write 
unto  him  ere  long.  Meanwhile  it  is  not  the  least  cause  of 
my  writing  unto  you  at  this  time,  to  signify  unto  him  that  I 
have  received  it,  arid  good  content  with  and  by  it. 

And  thereupon  I  request  you  all  three,  namely  Mr.  Briggs, 
together  with  Mr.  Miller  (for  that  I  have  been  given  to  un- 


LETTERS  ON   SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS.  53 

derstand  your  mathematic  lecturer's  name  is)  and  yourself,  to 
have  me  commended  to  Mr.  Bainbridge,  with  whom  it  seems 
you  are  familiarly  acquainted ;  and  tell  him,  whereas  toward 
the  end  of  his  Vespers'  lecture,  the  last  act,  wherein  he  dis- 
coursed of  the  reformation  of  the  year  and  calendar,  he  very 
sharply  and  bitterly  inveighed  against  certain  absurd  periods, 
whereby  some  went  about  to  restore  the  same :  I  desire  to 
know  (which  I  would  further  have  asked  himself,  if  I  could 
have  had  any  more  speech  with  him,  or  with  Mr.  Briggs  at 
that  time)  whether  he  meant  mine  or  no  ?     And  if  mine  (be- 
cause I  know  none  other  that  hath  insisted  in  the  same  course), 
what  it  is  that  mislikes  him  in  them  ?    whether  they  are  not 
framed  according  to  the  right  definition  of  a  Period  or  Annus 
Magnus  ?  or  whether  they  be  not  sufficiently  demonstrated, 
because  without  a  diagramme,  to  whit,  linear,  and  properly  so 
termed  ?  which  then  it  will  be  his  part  to  overthrow  by  in- 
stance, propounding  some  other  briefer  or  better,  of  another 
manner  and  structure,  than  of  Enneadecaeterides  and  Hen- 
decaeterides  :  not  Vieta's  (consisting  of  3400  Julian  years),  as 
great  a  mathematician  as  he  was,  and  as  well  skilled  in  dia- 
gramms :  which  (if  upon  such  a  sudden,  amidst  the  clutter- 
ing noise  of  my  labourers  about  mine  ears  pulling  down  my 
house,  and  the  hammering  of  my  masons  to  build  a  new,  I 
rightly  conceive)  to  make  a  truly  defined  period,  he  must 
correct  it  by  my  rules,  making  it  shorter  by  one  whole  month 
of  29  days  than  Vieta  himself  propounded :  and  so  equalling 
it  to  eleven  halfs  of  my  great  period  together  with  my  duode- 
narie  period.     Or  whether  he  thinks  not  any  period  at  all 
profitable  or  needful  for  the  restoring  of  the  year  and  calen- 
dar?   But,  and  if  my  form  of  calendar  displease  him;  it  may 
please  him  to  understand,  that  the  calendar  is  not  of  the 
essence,  but  an  accident  to  the  period:  as  whereunto  any 
form  of  either  lunar  or  solar  calendar  may  be  accommodated ; 
even  the  Julian  itself:  as  I  have  well-nigh  two  years  since 
declared  in  the  preface  of  my  three  Diatribae,  as  some  of  my 
learned  and  worshipful  friends  can  bear  me  witness :  there 
being  the  same  reason  of  the  more  ancient  solar  calendar  of 
Dionysius  Alexandrinus,  and  of  the  Augustan  Alexandrinian, 
with  twelve  tricenary  months,  and  five  or  six  days  appendices ; 
more  commodiously  to  be  placed  immediately  before  either 
equinox,  or  the  aestine  solstice.     Hereof  I  desire  an  answer 
with  as  much  convenient  speed  as  you  can  procure  it :  and  so 
I  commit  you  to  God's  gracious  protection. 

Yours, 

THOMAS  LYDYA.T* 


54  LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS. 


THOMAS  LYDYAT  TO  SIR  HENRY  MARTIN. 

[MS.  BodL  313.] 

To  the  right  worshipful  his  ever  honoured  tutor,  Sir  Henry 
Marline,  Judge  of  the  Court  of  Admiralty,  fyc.,  in  our 
Lord  and  Saviour  Christ,  health  and  prosperity  of  soul,  body 
and  whole  estate. 

Sir, — My  request  unto  you  is  to  move  Sir  John  Wolsten- 
ham  (and  whomsoever  else  you  know  likely,  after  so  many 
defeates  and  discouragements,  to  give  yet  another  essay  to- 
wards the  finding  of  the  Northern  passage  to  the  west  of 
America  and  the  East  Indies,  so  long  sought  for  by  our  Eng- 
lish nation,)  to  give  entertainment  to  a  scholar,  the  son  of  a 
citizen  of  London,  being  sorted  with  a  good  and  discreet 
captain  or  master,  a  skilful  pilot  and  well  experienced  in  the 
northern  icy  seas,  and  some  thirty  or  fourty  other,  honest, 
sober  and  industrious  men,  to  give  his  best  advice,  and  do 
his  true  and  best  endeavour,  for  the  discovery  of  the  coasts 
under  the  North  pole,  and  within  ten  degrees  round  about, 
especially  beyond  it :  and  from  those  parts  so  discovered, 
with  the  trending  of  the  land,  and  the  channels  and  currents 
of  the  sea  diligently  observed,  and  the  stopping  and  clearing 
thereof  with  and  from  the  ice  duly  noted  and  marked,  to  find 
out  the  passages,  and  fittest  passage  to  the  aforementioned 
places.  For  which  his  endeavour  and  enterprize  of  discovery 
of  those  polar  regions  undertaken  upon  hope  of  good  success 
through  Almighty  God's  gracious  guidance,  assistance  and 
blessing,  he  demands  the  loan  of  thirteen  hundred  pounds  to 
be  presently  (within  this  fourtnight)  laid  down  for  the  pay- 
ment of  his  debts,  upon  good  security  of  lands  and  goods 
pawned  to  the  value  therof,  for  four  years.  Within  w?hich 
time,  if  the  same  Polar  regions  be  discovered,  then  all  those 
lands  and  goods  to  be  clearly  released  and  resigned  to  him 
and  his  assigns  for  his  recompense,  without  repay  of  any 
money :  or  in  case  he  die  in  the  voyage,  yet  if  by  the  occasion 
and  means  thereof  the  aforesaid  discovery  be  made,  the  same 
recompense  to  be  made  in  like  manner  to  his  lawful  heirs  ac- 
cording to  his  last  will.  But,  and  if  it  please  God  of  His  in- 
finite mercy,  that  by  the  same  means  the  Northern  passage 
be  found  out  as  far  as  to  New  Albion  discovered  from  the  south 
by  Sir  Francis  Drake  on  the  west  part  of  America,  or  Japan 
on  the  east  of  Asia ;  then,  upon  the  ascertaining  of  such  dis- 
covery, there  shall  be  added  to  the  former  sum  seven  hundred 
pounds  more,  to  be  paid  to  him  or  his  assigns  by  his  will. 


LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS.  55 

And  in  whatsoever  plantations  or  colonies  of  the  British  na- 
tion hereafter  propagated  and  established  upon  occasion  of 
this  discovery,  that  is  to  say,,  in  those  places,  and  by  such 
passage;  there  shall  be  duly  and  truely  paid  the  tenth  in 
kind  of  all  manner  commodities  whatsoever  accrueing  by  sea 
or  land,  to  the  maintenance  of  an  able  ministry  of  God's  word, 
and  schools  of  all  manner  of  good  learning,  in  the  same.  Lastly, 
upon  the  acceptance  of  this  offer,  there  shall  be  given  to  the 
maker  thereof,  in  way  and  manner  of  earns,  a  pair  of  the 
largest,  newest  and  best  globes,  and  twenty  nobles  in  money, 
to  the  furnishing  him  with  books  of  like  argument,  for  the 
better  performance  thereof. 

So  desireth  (the  l?th  of  October,  1626.) 

Your  distressed  old  pupil, 

THOMAS  LYDYAT. 

Concerning  the  motion  that  was  made  to  me  the  other  day 
by  Sir  D.  D.  about  going  to  Constantinople  with  the  new 
ambassador  that  is  shortly  to  go  thither ;  I  do  not  desire  it 
otherwise,  than  there  to  get  a  pass  to  travel  to  some  of  the 
principal  cities  in  Greece,  Natolia  and  Syria,  and  to  Alex- 
andria and  Cairo :  and  thence  by  means  of  the  patriarch  of 
Alexandria  and  the  Abasen  pilgrims,  that  travel  yearly  that 
way  to  and  from  Jerusalem,  to  go  in  company  with  them  into 
Ethiopia,  unto  mount  Amara,  to  know  the  truth  of  what  hath 
been  reported  touching  the  library  there ;  and  thereabouts  to 
study  in  divinity,  history,  and  astronomy.  If  this  may  be 
effected,  I  shall  think  myself  much  beholden  to  them,  by 
whose  means  it  is  effected.  But  in  the  meantime  I  want 
fourty  marks  to  print  mine  almanacks :  anoV(I  should  have 
said  first)  to  buy  me  a  suit  of  apparel  to  defend  me  from  the 
cold. 

November  30th,  ]  626. 

THOMAS  LYDYAT. 


HENRY  BRIGGS  TO  JOHN  PELL. 

[MS.  Birch.  4395,  Orig.J 

Merton  College,  October  25th,  1628. 

Good  Mr.  Pell, — I  must  acknowledge  that  I  receyved  your 
former  letter,  but  my  many  occasions  at  that  instant  and  my 
suddaine  longe  journey  into  the  northe,  not  knowinge  ether 


56  LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS. 

who  brought  your  letter  or  by  whom  to  returne  my  answere, 
were  the  occasions,  as  I  now  remember,  that  you  have  beene 
put  to  this  second  trouble.  Now  I  shall  indevoure  to  give 
you  suche  satisfaction  as  I  can,  and  seinge  I  do  not  know 
who  brought  this  letter,  or  by  whom  more  conveniently  to 
sende,  I  purpose  to  sende  mine  answere  to  London,  from 
thence  to  be  brought  to  Trinity  College  where  I  hope  it  will 
finde  you. 

1.  For  your  first  demande  (seinge  I  do  not  know  whose 
lines  you  use,  my  answer  wil  be  somewhat  more  uncertaine, 
and  it  may  be  the  author  whom  you  followe  would  satisfie 
you  more  fully,)  'tis  well  if  I  can  satisfie  for  mine  owne  de- 
fectes.     These  artificiall  numbers  (injuriously  named  sines) 
are  not  made  for  degrees,  minutes,  &c.,  but  for  the  true  sinus 
dati  cujuscunque  gradus  et  minuti :  therefore  if  you  first  finde 
the  true  sine  of  any  arke,  the  Nothi  may  best  be  found  by  the 
generall  rule  set  downe  in  14  cap.  of  my  booke,  Dato  cuilibet 
numero  absolute,  Logarithmum  congruum  invenire  et  contra. 
But  if  this  seeme  too  tedious,  you  may  use  the  parte  pro- 
portionall.    If  60  minutes  or  secondes  rather  (for  the  minutes 
are  expressed  in  the  printed  tables)  give  the  whole  difference 
inter  duos  proximos ;  what  shal  be  the  difference  to  be  added 
or  subtracted  for  27"  or  any  other  number;  but  in  the  parte 
proportionall  we  muste  not  expect  suche  exact  precisenes  as 
in  the  former,  especially  if  there  be  any  notable  inequalitie  in 
the  differences  next  adjoyninge :  where  we  may  not  safely 
trust  proportion,  as  namely  in  the  artificiall  sines  of  the  be- 
ginninge  and  ende  of  the  quadrant.     But  if  you  be  willinge 
to  inlarge  some  parte  of  your  table  to  secondes,  I  have  ex- 
pressed the  maner  in  my  booke  cap.    12,  and  more  easily 
cap.  13,  where  first  you  may  inlarge  them  to  fiftes  of  minutes 
or  to  12";  and  if  you  be  at  leisure  afterwards  to  24"  or  to 
the  25  parte  of  a  minute;  then  (the  differences  beinge  brought 
more  nere  to  equalitie)  you  may  somewhat  more  safely  trust 
the  parte  proportionall. 

2.  Concerninge  the  logar.  of  all  fractions  proper  or  impro- 
per, see  my  10  cap.  and  for  a  generall  rule  take  this,  Diffe- 
rentia logarithmorum  numeratoris  et  denominators  est  loga- 
rithmus  datarum  partium.     As  of  f  017609125905568  of  f 
—017609  etc.  of  yT°  034678748622466  of  T%%  —034678  etc. 
And  contra,  to  finde  the  absolute  number  of  any  logarithme, 
seeke  the  logarithme  in  the  tables,  and  if  it  be  there  you  shall 
have  the  absolute  number  in  the  m  argent;  if  it  be  not  there, 
then  by  the  parte  proportionall  you  may  come  nere  it,  so  that 
if  neede  be,  you  change  the  characteristica  as  is  prescribed  in 
the  1 1  cap.  de  qua  in  4  cap.,  for  so  there  wil  be  lesse  defect  in 


LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS.  5? 

the  parte  proportionally  when  the  tabular  differences  are  nerer 
to  equalitie,  by  whiche  meanes  you  shall  come  to  the  nume- 
rator of  your  fraction  whose  denominator  is  alwaies  1000  etc. 
For  example,  the  log.  of  10  is  1.0000  etc. ;  therefore  the  log.  of 
the  V  of  10  must  be  050000  (for  we  must  very  warily  regard 
the  characteristica,  otherwise  the  answer  wil  be  false),  alter 
the  characteristic  and  it  may  be  +  50000  and  in  32  chiliads 
you  shall  finde  the  absolute  number  next  under  that  whiche 
you  seeke  is  31622  ;  this  must  be  augmented  by  the  part  pro- 
portionall,  whiche  is  7763,  so  that  the  number  is  316227763  ; 
now  seinge  the  characteristic  is  0,  till  I  did  augment  it,  it  is 
apparant  that  the  roote  of  10  is  3j-f  §§££§§,  or  rather 
3,16227763  as  I  usually  write  it.  But  this  aggreethe  not  withe 
the  roote  sett  downe  in  the  10th  page  of  my  booke.  I  must 
confesse  it.  The  parte  proportionall  is  alwaies  in  these  cases 
somewhat  defective:  see  my  16.  cap. 

3.  Concerninge  Mr.  Wingate's  booke  I  hope  well  that  all 
he  saithe  are  true ;  but  I  have  not  so  advisedly  looked  on  it, 
that  T  may  justly  ether  except  or  approve  all;  but  if  you 
please  to  mention  in  your  next  any  particular,  I  shall  tell  you 
mine  opinion. 

4.  My  desire  was  to  have  those  chiliades  which  are  want- 
inge  betwixt  20  and  90  calculated  and  printed,  and  I  had 
done  them  all  almost  by  myselfe  and  by  some  frendes  whom 
my  rules  had  sufficiently  informed,  and  by  agreement  the 
busines   was   conveniently   parted   amongst  us:    but  I   am 
eased  of  that  charge  and  care  by  one  Adrian  Vlacque  an  Hol- 
lander, who  hathe  done  all  the  whole   100  chiliades,  and 
printed  them  in  Latin,  Dutche  and  Frenche,  1000  bookes  in 
these  three  languages,  and  hathe  sould  them  almost  all ;  but 
he  hathe  cutt  of  four  of  my  figures  throughout,  and  hathe  left 
out  my  dedication,  and  to  the  reader,  and  two  chapters  the 
12  and  13,  in  the  rest  he  hathe  not  varied  from  me  at  all. 

And  thus  I  have  desired  to  make  an  amendes  for  my  an- 
sweringe  no  sooner.  If  yet  there  remaine  any  scruple,  if  you 
please  to  write  the  thirde  time  I  shall  be  desirous  to  give  you 
further  satisfaction.  And  so  commendinge  you  and  your 
studies  to  the  gratious  blessinge  of  the  Almightie,  I  take  my 
leave,  ever  rt  stinge, 

Your  very  lovinge  frende, 

HENBIE  BBIGGS. 


58  LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS. 


THOMAS  LYDYAT  TO  HENRY  BRIGGS. 

[MS.  Bodl.  313.] 

Bocardo,  October  31st,  1628. 

Mr.  Briggs, — After  a  full  year  gone  and  past,  from  the 
time  I  delivered  you  the  two  little  notes  in  August  (was 
twelve  months)  which  you  say  you  lost :  I  did,  though  with 
much  adoe,  enforce  myself  to  make  them  again.  The  cause 
of  my  then  committing  them  unto  you,  had  I  not  told  you, 
you  must  easily  conceive,  was  to  have  your  judgment  of  them, 
to  the  end  that  afterwards  I  might  shew  them  unto  others  of 
my  worshipful  friends  to  be  motives  to  stir  them  to  do  some- 
what for  me,  either  to  the  helping  me  out  of  prison,  that  was 
and  is  my  most  desire  and  main  suit :  where,  through  the  ex- 
ceeding care  that  I  had  the  last  year  to  discharge  my  debts 
as  fast  as  I  could,  and  indeed  faster  than  I  well  could;  I 
thank  God  for  all !  I  was  as  near  starving  for  hunger,  about 
the  time  you  were  last  with  me,  in  February,  as  I  think  ever 
poor  prisoner  was  that  scaped  it.  I  had  sent  you  this  copy 
as  soon  as  I  had  new  made  it,  but  that  I  understood  you  were 
from  home.  In  the  meantime  I  sent  it  to  New  College,  to 
Mr.  Stringer,  by  him  to  be  delivered  to  Mr.  Warden :  who,  I 
thank  him,  the  other  day  brought  it  to  me  again  himself. 
As  I  wrote  to  Mr.  Stringer,  I  dare  not  say  it  is  to  shew  the 
probability  of  so  great  a  refraction,  for  fear  lest  all  the  astro- 
nomers on  this  side  the  hither  tropic  have  me  by  the  ears  for 
it :  but  only  the  possibility :  leaving  the  full  determining  of 
the  business,  till  I  come  either  under  the  North  pole,  accord- 
ing to  the  letter  I  sent  you  this  time  twelvemonths,  or  over 
the  Cape  of  Good  Hope ;  whither  I  say,  to  the  one  place  or 
to  the  other,  even  to  the  world's  end,  I  pray  God  send  me 
safe,  so  out  of  prison.  I  shewed  it  not  long  since  to  Mr. 
Pesor,  at  his  kind  visiting  me,  which,  I  thank  him,  he  hath 
often  done ;  at  what  time  he  told  me,  to  my  comfort,  he  was  of 
my  mind,  that  astronomy  would  never  be  perfited  until  there 
were  some  astronomical  observations  made  under  the  aequi- 
noctial,  and  beyond  the  farther  tropic,  to  be  compared  with 
ours.  Now  I  send  you  the  same  again,  to  the  same  ends 
that  I  committed  them  to  you  at  the  first.  Good  Mr.  Briggs, 
do  not  lose  these  too :  but  unperfite  as  they  be,  let  me  have 
your  judgment  of  them,  within  this  sennenet  or  thereafter,  as 
your  leisure  will  permit.  So  with  mine  hearty  commenda- 
tions, and  thanks  for  all  your  kindnesses,  I  bid  you  farewell. 

Your's, 

THOMAS  LYDYAT. 


LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS.  59 


A  PAPER  ON  THE  WEIGHT  OF  WATER,  BY  THE 
DUKE  OF  NORTHUMBERLAND. 

De  pondere  aquae,  quo  premuntur  ij.9  quibus  altius  incumbit. 
Qucestio  ab  illustrissimo  domino  Henrico  Comite  Northum- 
brice  proposita,  et  ventilata. 

[From  Addit.  MS.  6789.] 

Quam  sit  illud  verum  quod  vulgi  sermone  tritum  novimus  ; 
errorem  quantumvis  exiguum  in  principio,  mobilitate  vigere, 
sed  ad  finern  in  immensum  excrescere,  et  quotidiana  experien- 
tia  probat,  et  quaestione  hac  proposita  dilucide  constat.  Nam- 
que  cum  initio  libri,  de  iis,  quae  vehuntur  in  aqua,  Archimedes 
posuisset  instar  principii  Postulatum  quoddam,  de  motrice  na- 
tura  Aquae,  et  partes  ejus  minus  pressae  cedant  loco  magis 
pressis :  ab  hoc  Axiomate  vel  non  clare  ab  eodem  enunciate, 
vel  perperam  ab  aliis  intellecto,  quantum  in  errorem  prae  cae- 
teris  prolapsus  est  Simon  Stevinus,  qui  labi  cum  eo  una  no- 
lunt,  mecum  jam  convenit,  ut  animadvertant.  Itaque  tria  erunt 
nobis  seorsim,  et  breviter  tractanda. 

Primo  statuendum  est,  quis  sit  genuinus  sensus  ejusdem 
Postulati  Archimedei. 

Secundo  manifestandus  est  error  Stevini. 

Tertio  asserendus  est  consensus  Phenomenon,  experimen- 
torumque  ipsa  cum  veritate  juxta  intentionem  ejus  postulati 
idque  maxime  ad  praesentis  quaestionis  solutionem. 

De  Primo. 

Proponit  Archimedes  Postulatum  illud  suum  hujusmodi. 
Ponatur  humidi  naturam  talem  esse^ut  partibus  ejus  ex  aequo 
positis,  et  continuis,  minus  pressa  a  magis  pressa  extendatur. 

Omnis  vero  pars  humidi  urgetur  ab  humido  existenti  supra 
illud  in  perpendiculo,  si  humidum  ipsum  sit  descendens  ali- 
quo,  aut  ab  aliquo  pressum. 


CHRISTOPHER  POTTER  TO  WILLIAM  BOSWELL. 

[MS.  Bodl.  313.] 

March  28th,  1632. 

Sir, — I  shall  be  most  willing  to  help  forward  your  cha- 
ritable intention  towards  Mr.  Lydyat  (a  man  of  great  merit, 
and  who  might  be  useful  to  the  public  if  he  were  freed  from 
this  miserable  condition)  and  to  serve  you  on  this  or  any  other 


60  LETTERS  ON   SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS. 

occasion  with  my  uttermost  forces.  I  have  effectually  treated 
with  Mrs.  Hare,  and  desired  a  worthy  friend  of  mine,  Dr.  Pink 
ot  New  College,  and  Dr.  lies  of  Hart  Hall,  who  hath  much 
power  with  her,  to  assist  me  in  this  treaty.  The  gentlewoman 
much  complains  of  the  injustice  of  him  and  his  brother,  and 
of  their  dealing  with  her,  and  says  in  effect  that  the  sum  now 
due  to  her  is  200/. :  that  they  are  able  enough  but  not  willing 
to  satisfy  her,  that  they  have  received  not  long  since  500/.  for 
land  sold,  that  they  have  defeated  many  other  poor  men  in 
this  kind,  that  Mr.  Thomas  Lydyat's  personal  debt  to  her  is 
50/.,  that  he  threatened  to  feed  his  brother  in  prison  with  her 
money,  that  being  here  in  Bocardo  he  was  wont  to  flout  and 
jeer  her  as  she  passed  the  streets,  and  to  say  he  \vould  make 
her  jet  it  in  one  silk  gown  the  less,  that  he  is  now  building  a 
new  house  upon  his  benefice  and  therefore  is  not  so  poor  as 
he  pretends,  &c.  All  this  and  more  she  avows  with  great 
confidence,  and  seems  more  sensible  of  their  scoffs  than  of 
any  other  injuries.  Yet  to  gratify  so  many  worthy  friends  as 
have  moved  her  in  this  business,  she  is  content  to  remit  120/., 
and  to  take  for  all  80/.,  as  50/.  in  land,  and  any  honest  man's 
band  (but  she  clearly  refused  to  deal  with  either  of  them)  for 
the  30/.  in  some  reasonable  time,  two  or  three  years.  Here 
is  the  utmost  point  to  wjhich  for  aught  I  can  guess,  she  will 
be  drawn.  She  says,  further,  that  she  is  aged,  and  a  \voman 
not  able  any  w  ay  to  improve  her  small  store  upon  which  she 
lives:  that  she  maintains  a  great  number  of  her  necessitous  kin- 
dred, and  is  forced  with  her  great  expence  by  law  to  right 
their  injuries:  that  she  is  charitable,  but  doth  not  believe 
Mr.  Lydyat's  fit  objects  of  charity  :  that  she  yields  all  this  to 
his  friends  and  hers,  nothing  to  him. 

For  my  part  I  cannot  believe  that  Mr.  Lydyat,  a  wise  man 
and  a  scholar,  would  forget  himself  so  far  as  to  taunt  and 
flout  her.  Both  he  and  she  sure  have  been  abused  by  some 
talebearer.  Yet  methinks  it  would  not  be  amiss  if  Mr.  Ly- 
dyat did  clear  himself  to  her  for  that  contempt,  which  most 
deeply  she  apprehends,  andbyhis  letter  give  her  fair  satisfaction. 
Some  soft  words  to  that  purpose  may  yet  a  little  more  mollify 
her.  And  for  the  main  matter,  you  being  so  worthily  pleased  to 
help  him  so  liberally,  what  if  he  laid  on  his  benefice  a  pen- 
sion of  10/.  for  three  years  to  pay  her,  or  procure  his  brother 
to  pay  it,  as  in  reason  and  conscience  (if  he  have  any;  she 
thinks  it  very  small)  he  ought.  But  she  will  have  nothing  to 
do  with  them.  Here's  the  best  account  I  can  give  you  of  this 
negociation. 

When  you  go  into  the  Low  Countries ;  and  when  you  are 
there,  I  shall  ever  attend  you  with  mine  hearty  prayers  that 


LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS.  61 

you  may  do   God  and  his  church,  and  this  whole  state  such 
good  service  as  all  that  know  you  do  assuredly  expect. 

I  shall  be  ever,  Sir, 

Your  most  affectionate  friend  to  honour  and  serve  you, 

CHARLES  POTTER. 


THOMAS  LYDYAT  TO  WILLIAM  BOSWELL. 

[MS.  Bodl.  313.] 

Mr.  Boswell, — Although  the  course  that  you  have  taken  in 
my  business,  to  treat  with  Mrs.  Hare  for  some  remission,  be 
diverse  from  the  intent  of  my  petition,  (the  preferment  where- 
of to  his  Majesty  and  procuring  a  gracious  answer,  was  my 
whole  suit  unto  you,)  yet  have  I  that  opinion  both  of  your 
true  well-meaning  toward  me,  and  of  your  wisdom,  that  you 
did  it  in  sincere  good-will  unto  me,  and  for  the  best.  For  by 
this  means,  to  move  the  more  commiseration  of  my  case,  is 
the  extremity  of  mine  adversary's  hard  dealing  with  me,  not 
only  manifested  and  confirmed,  but  also  aggravated,  yea 
doubled.  It  is  manifested  and  confirmed,  in  that  she  hath 
partly  concealed  and  smothered,  and  partly  altered  and  falsi- 
fied, the  true  state  of  our  controversy,  and  manner  of  my  debt 
unto  her ;  as  you  may  perceive  by  my  petition,  whereunto,  to 
avoid  needless  repetitions,  I  refer  you :  wherein  that  1  have 
truly  stated  and  declared  the  one  and  the  other,  both  my  bro- 
thers and  nephews  grants  under  their  hands  and  seals,  that  I 
have  to  shew,  will  evict,  and  our  whole  country  both  can  and 
will  testify  on  my  behalf.  And  this  main  wrong  of  her  con- 
cealing and  shifting  and  falsifying  the  state  of  the  contro- 
versy, is  aggravated,  yea,  at  least  doubled,  by  her  heaping 
thereupon  a  sort  of  slanderous  reports  to  my  defamation,  a 
greater  wrong  than  my  five  years5  imprisonment,  (yet  I  ac- 
count that  so  great,  that  although  she  were  worth  a  brace  of 
thousand  pounds  more  than  she  is  worth,  she  could  not  make 
me  amends  for  it,)  whereby  she  would  make  the  world  believe 
she  hath  cause  to  deal  so  uncharitably  and  unconscionably 
with  me,  which  otherwise  she  would  not  choose  but  be 
ashamed  of.  The  unlikelyhood  of  my  threatening  to  feed  my 
brother  in  prison  with  her  money  (whereof  I  never  received 

nor  was  surety  for )  you  may  easily  conceive  by  my 

complaining  in  my  petition  of ,  wilfully  defeating  me  of 

their  grant  made  unto  me,  after  I  had  so  far  engaged  myself 
in  their  debts.     Touching  my  being  wront  in  Bocardo  to  flout 


62  LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC   SUBJECTS. 

and  jeer  her  as  she  passed  the  streets  :  in  the  whole  time  (a 
year  and  three  quarters)  of  my  being  there.,  I  was  never  aware 
of  her  passing  by.,  but  only  once,  that  she  was  shewed  me,  at 
which  time  the  party  I  was  then  walking  and  talking  with  will 
testify  I  used  no  surly  unseemly  speeches  or  behaviour  toward 
her.  And  as  for  her  objecting  in  special,  that  I  was  wont  to  say 
I  would  make  her  jet  it  in  one  silk  gown  the  less ;  she  therein 
bewrayed  herself  to  be  a  weak  woman,  of  less  wisdom  than  she 
would  be  taken  to  be.  I  was  never  thrice  in  her  company, 
nor  did  I  ever  to  my  remembrance  take  so  much  notice  of 
her,  as  that  she  went  in  a  silk  gown.  Alas  !  silly  woman,  as 
if  I  had  nothing  else  to  busy  my  wits  about,  but  to  mark 
what  gowns  she  and  her  like  went  in.  But  indeed  the  de- 
fenture  of  a  silk  gown  is  a  fit  object  for  a  haughty- spirited 
woman's  malice  to  work  upon.  That  I  am  building  a  new 
house  upon  my  benefice,  and  therefore  not  so  poor  as  1  pre- 
tend, is  a  senseless  imputation :  mine  old  house  being  so 
ruinous  as  that  my  predecessor  was  afraid  to  lie  in  it,  I  began 
to  build  a  new,  and  raised  it  out  of  the  ground  girdle  steed 
high,  before  my  brother  bewrayed  his  estate,  or  ever  I  had 
undertaken  any  part  of  his  debts  :  at  what  time  there  was  no 
staying  of  it,  the  old  being  for  the  most  part  already  fallen  or 
pulled  down,  and  my  workmen  entertained  for  the  building  of 
the  new  ;  the  building  whereof  nothing  sumptuous,  but  suit- 
able to  the  place  and  living,  as  every  one  that  sees  it  acknow- 
ledgeth,  cost  and  impoverished  me  an  hundred  pounds,  which 
cost  should  have  been  at  that  time  spared,  and  that  business 
at  leastwise  defferred,  if  I  had  been  acquainted  with  my  bro- 
ther's estate  before  I  undertook  it ;  and  the  finishing  thereof, 
with  the  building  of  the  outhouses  all  likewise  ruined,  for 
which  I  have  been  threatened  to  be  sued  for  dilapidations, 
will  cost  me  fifty  pounds  more ;  which  conscience  binds  me 
to  repair  rather  than  pay  another  man's  debt  to  Mrs.  Hare,  un- 
dertaken upon  a  grant  whereof  I  am  defeated.  Thus  I  find  it 
a  calamity  common  to  me  with  other  of  my  fellow-prisoners, 
that  our  adversaries  are  fain  to  catch  after  and  blaze  abroad 
slanderous  reports  against  us,  to  blear  the  eyes  of  the  world, 
that  they  have  reason  to  deal  extremely  with  us.  But  I  hope, 
Sir,  they  shall  not  blear  yours,  and  much  less  our  gracious 
Sovereign's ;  unto  whose  gracious  answer  to  my  petition  (to 
be  presented  by  your  means,  upon  the  preferment  thereof  to 
his  Majesty,  being  my  whole  and  only  suit  unto  you,  for 
which  I  shall  endeavour  to  shew  my  self  accordingly  thankful,) 
I  most  humbly  recommend  me  ; 

Remaining  yours  to  be  commanded  in  all  Christian  duties, 

THOMAS  LYDYAT. 

King's  Bench  Prison,  April  4,  1G32. 


LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS.  63 

THOMAS  LYDYAT'S  PETITION  TO  CHARLES  I. 

[MS.  Bodl.  313.] 

To  my  dread  Sovereign  Lord,  the  King's  most  excellent  Ma- 
jesty, Charles,  by  the  Grace  of  God,  King  of  Great  Britain, 
France,  and  Ireland ;  Defender  of  the  Faith,  fyc. 

May  it  please  your  Majesty, — Mine  humble  petition  to 
your  Majesty  is,  that  you  would  graciously  vouchsafe  to  grant 
your  Royal  Privilege  to  me  and  mine  assigns,  for  our  sole 
printing  of  all  such  books,  tables  and  writings,  as  I  have  made 
or  hereafter  shall  make  ready  to  be  set  forth  and  published  in 
print,  and  of  all  other  such  authors,  not  yet  extant  in  print,  or 
imperfectly  extant,  as  wanting  a  good  and  proportionable 
part  of  their  whole  works,  as  I  shall  find  and  procure  to  be 
printed ;  as  also  of  all  such  translations  into  Latin,  English, 
or  other  languages,  and  commentaries  and  annotations,  as  I 
shall  make  thereupon,  for  their  better  explanation ;  with  suf- 
ficient penalty  upon  the  offenders  within  your  Majesty's  domi- 
nions. And  moreover  that  your  Majesty  would  vouchsafe  me 
your  gracious  leave  and  license  to  travel  into  foreign  parts, 
as  I  shall  find  fit  opportunity,  namely,  into  Turkey,  and 
Ethiopia,  or  the  Abysinian  Emperor's  country,  to  search  and 
find  copies  especially  of  civil  and  ecclesiastical  histories,  to  be 
published  in  print ;  and  whatsoever  other  copies  may  tend  to 
the  propagation  and  increase  of  good  learning ; 

Also,  that  your  Majesty  would  graciously  be  pleased,  that 
where  you  have  leiger-ambassadors  and  agents,  with  your 
confederates,  emperors,  kings  and  princes  of  the  countries, 
they  may  in  your  Majesty's  name,  in  the  behalf  of  myself  and 
mine  assigns,  and  at  our  suites,  move  their  highnesses  to 
grant  the  like  privileges  as  aforesaid  to  me  and  mine  assigns, 
within  each  of  their  dominions.  So  desireth,  that  the  whole 
world  may  worthily  acknowledge  your  Majesty's  care  for  the 
advancement  of  the  commonweal  of  good  learning, 
Your  Royal  Majesty's  loyal  subject, 
Humble  petitioner  and  daily  oratour, 

THOMAS  LYDYAT. 

The  Books  and  Tables  that  I  have  heretofore  set  forth  in  print, 
and  now  ready  to  be  reprinted. 

Praelectio  astronomica. 

Disquisitio  physiologica  de  origine  fontium. 
Tractatus  de  variis  annorum  formis. 
Defensio  de  variis  annorum  formis  contra  Josephi  Sca- 
ligeri  obtrectationem. 


64  LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS. 

Solis  et  lunae  periodus  octodesexcentenaria.  , 

Epistola  astronomica. 

Numerus  aureus  melioribus  lapillis  insignatus. 

f Dedicated  to  your  Majesty's 

Emendatio  temporum.      I    dearest  brother,  the  Most  No- 
Recensio  argumentorum.  |    ble  Prince  Henry  of  blessed 

(^  memory. 

These  that  I  have  now  to  print,  not  before  published. 

Prooemium  trium  diatribarum  astronomicarum. 
Diatriba ;  et  animadversiones  astronomicae. 
Problema  astronomicum. 

Circuli  dimensio  Lydyatea,  Archimedea  succenturiata. 
Marmoreum    chronicon    Arundellianum,   cum   annota- 

tionibus. 
Divina  sphaera  humanorum  eventuum. — Observed  during 

mine  imprisonment,  and  dedicated  to  your  Majesty. 


THOMAS  LYDYAT  TO  THE  ARCHBISHOP  OF 
CANTERBURY. 

[MS.  Bodl.  662.] 

May  it  please  your  Grace, — Being  desirous  to  finish  and 
publish,  as  I  hope  for  the  greater  good  of  the  church  of  God 
and  of  my  country,  and  the  commonweal  of  good  learning, 
sundry  books  and  treatises  begun  by  me,  partly  before  and 
partly  during  the  time  of  my  long  imprisonment,  to  the 
finishing  whereof  I  cannot  be  so  conveniently  provided  of 
books  at  my  small  benefice  in  the  country  as  in  London,  Ox- 
ford, and  other  like  places,  furnished  with  libraries  and 
shops  of  books  of  all  sorts ;  and  moreover  whereas  the  pub- 
lishing of  them  will  require  my  personal  attendance  for  the 
correcting  of  the  printer's  press;  mine  humble  petition  to 
your  Grace  is,  to  grant  me  to  that  end  and  purpose,  a  dispen- 
sation for  absence  from  my  small  parsonage  and  rectory  of  the 
parish  church  of  Alkerton  in  the  county  and  diocese  of  Ox- 
ford, for  three  years ;  and  for  the  drawing  and  sealing  thereof 
by  the  master  of  your  Court  of  Faculties,  to  subscribe  this 
petition  with  your  hand,  which  your  gracious  respect  I  shall 
thankfully  acknowledge. 

Your  Grace's  humble  petitioner, 

THOMAS  LYDYAT. 
Tendered,  July  2nd,  1634,  and  deferred  till  Michaelmas  following. 


LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC   SUBJECTS.  65 


WALTER  WARNER  TO  ROBERT  PAYNE. 

[MS.  Birch,  Brit.  Mus.  4279,  fol.  290,  Orig.] 

Westminster,  October  17th,  1634. 

Good  Mr.  Payne, — For  the  problem  of  refractions,  which 
you  write  of,  I  pray  you  by  any  meanes  send  it  to  Mr.  Hobbes, 
together  with  my  most  harty  love  and  service,  or  whatsoever 
els  you  shall  receve  from  me  that  may  be  thought  worth  the 
communicating,  yf  it  plese  you  to  impart  it  to  him,  you  shall 
do  me  a  plesure.  For  1  have  found  him  free  with  me,  and  I 
will  not  be  reserved  with  him,  yf  it  plese  God  I  may  live  to  see 
him  again.  That  analogy  which  you  have,  though  it  be 
but  a  particular  passion  of  the  subject  it  concerns,  yet  it  is 
very  conducible  to  the  theory  and  investigation  of  the  cause 
of  refraction,  the  intention  whereof  ex  principiis  opticis  is  the 
grettest  magistery  in  the  optik  science,  and  for  the  practise 
it  is  of  that  consequence,  as  without  it  the  table  of  refractions 
for  glasse  and  crystall,  which  is  of  grettest  vse,  can  never  be 
constructed,  without  which  table  the  dioptrick  part  of  that  doc- 
trine, which  begins  not  by  reson  of  the  glasses  to  be  in  grettest 
esteem,  will  still  remayne  imperfect,  at  best  not  in  that  degree 
of  perfection  by  much,  as  by  the  help  of  a  well  constituted 
table  of  the  angles  of  refraction  the  busines,  as  I  conceve  it, 
might  be  brought  to.  I  would  be  very  glad  to  see  Monsr. 
Mydorge's  way ;  yf  he  make  a  secret  of  it,  I  doubt  not  but 
Mr.  Hobbes  will  know  how  to  trafik  with  him.  So  I  rest 
Your  very  loving  and  true  friend, 

WALTER  WARNER. 


ROBERT  PAYNE  TO  WALTER  WARNER. 

[MS.  Birch,  Brit.  Mus.  4279,  fol.  171,  Orig.] 

Welbeck,  June  21,  1635. 

Worthy  Sir, — I  have  here  returned  you  back  your  papers, 
conteining  the  probleme  of  the  mid-ship-mould.  Sr  Charles 
and  myself  have  perus'd  them,  but  cannot  understand  more 
of  them  then  is  written  in  Latine  ;  the  rest  we  suppose  are 
notes  of  remembrance,  which  serve  well  for  your  use,  but  give 
us  not  light  sufficient  to  understand  your  meaning.  Only  the 
sixtene  cases  we  apprehend  well ;  but  the  demonstrations  of 
them  we  yet  understand  not,  farther  then  that  in  the  Latine 

F 


66  LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS. 

holds.  We  desire,  therefore,  you  would  at  your  leysure  in- 
struct us  farther  in  the  demonstrations  of  all  the  cases  re- 
mayning,  which  I  suppose  you  can  easily  and  soone  doe  out 
of  the  severall  figures  in  the  English  paper.  We  long  to 
heare  fro  you  and  to  receive  those  things  you  promis'd.  My 
Lord  would  gladly  be  a  partaker  of,  and  a  student  in  your 
philosophicall  discourses,  if  you  would  impart  them  to  him. 
He  is  much  taken  with  the  device  of  your  perspective  glasse 
and  desires  you  would  calculate  a  line  for  it,  at  a  good  propor- 
tion, as  40  to  one,  that  we  might  see  whether  it  would  hold 
good  in  practise  as  well  as  it  seems  in  speculation ;  and  if  it 
doe,  he  will  be  ready  to  further  you  in  any  way  you  shall 
desire.  Both  his  Lordship  and  Sir  Charles  recommend  their 
love  to  you  and  soe  does 

Your  friend  to  serve  you, 

ROBERT  PAYNE. 


SIR   CHARLES   CAVENDISH   TO   WALTER 
WARNER. 

[MS.  Birch,  Brit.  Mus.  4405,  fol.  161,  Orig.] 

Welbeck,  May  2nd,  1636. 

Worthie  Sir, — Though  I  have  had  some  diversions,  yet  I  aske 
your  pardon  that  I  have  bin  so  longe  before  I  returned  you 
thankes  for  the  two  tracts  you  were  pleased  to  send  me ;  I 

five  you  manie  thankes  for  them,  and  esteem  (as  they  justlie 
eserve)  verie  greatlie  of  them.  I  received  latelie  a  letter 
from  Mr.  Hobbes,  where  amongst  other  things  he  sent  me 
this  paper  heer  inclosed,  which  is  an  experiment  of  the  place 
of  the  image  of  a  thing  contrarie  to  the  olde  tenet ;  a  candle 
being  put  into  a  glasse  of  a  cylindricall  forme,  the  image  hangs 
perpendicularlie  over  the  candle  itself,  as  is  expressed  in  this 
figure,  and  not  at  the  concourse  of  the  perpendicular  from  the 
object  with  the  visuall  line  which  in  this  figure  is  at  the  point 
A.  Mr.  Hobbs  conjectures  that  the  approach  of  the  image 
proceeds  from  the  strength  of  action  from  the  object,  which 
is  greater  heere  than  in  a  plaine^  by  reason  of  the  concavitie 
of  the  cylinder  which  gathers  the  beames,  and  by  that  meanes 
makes  the  motion  or  streame  of  the  reflected  beames  stronger. 
I  desire  at  your  convenient  leasure  to  have  your  opinion  of  it, 
as  also  of  this  place  of  the  image  in  convex  glasses.  I  have 


LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS.  6? 

sent  you  by  this  bearer,  Mr.  Butler,  twentie  pounds  as  our 
acknowledgment  of  your  favoure.  And  so  wishing  you  all 
hapiness,  I  remaine 

Your  assured  freind, 

CHARLES  CAVENDYSSHE. 


SIR  CHARLES  CAVENDISH  TO  WALTER 
WARNER. 

[MS.  Birch,  Brit.  Mus.  4444,  fol.  91.  Orig.] 

Wellbeck,  September  2nd,  1636. 

Worthie  Sir, — I  give  you  many  thankes  for  the  two  tracts 
you  sent  me,  one  of  the  place  of  the  image  in  concave  and 
convex  glasses,  and  the  other  of  the  making  of  prospective 
glasses.  I  will  not  trouble  you  with  a  repetition  of  some 
doutes  which  Mr.  Payen  and  I  have  of  some  things  in  these 
tracts,  but  refer  you  to  his  letter,  for  he  hath  promised  me  to 
write  to  you  of  them.  The  greatest  doute  that  I  have  in  your 
tract  of  the  place  of  the  image  is  howe  the  eye  can  take  notice 
of  the  lateral  I  beames  which  are  without  the  eye,  for  sight 
being  made,  as  you  write,  upon  the  retiform  tunicle,  I  con- 
ceive not  howe  we  can  take  notice  of  the  laterall  beams  which 
are  refracted  before  they  come  thither,  or,  as  I  conceive,  we 
take  no  notice  of  that  refraction.  Sir,  you  see  the  boldness 
I  take  to  trouble  you,  which  your  former  favours  have  en- 
couraged me  to  doe.  And  so  wisshing  you  all  hapiness,  I 
rest, 

Your  assured  freind, 

CHARLES  CAVENDYSSHE. 


ROBERT  PAYNE  TO  WALTER  WARNER. 

[MS.  Birch,  Brit.  Mus.  4458,  fol.  26.  Orig.] 

Welbeck,  October  3rd,  1636. 

Good  Mr.  Warner, — Though  the  plague  (thanks  be  to  God) 
hath  not  yet  come  nere  us,  yett  we  feele  the  ill  effects  of  it. 
One  whereof  is,  the  interruption  of  intercourse  of  letters  fro' 
us  to  you,  and  you  to  us. 

I  had  some  time  since  written  to  you  concerning  the  two 
tracts  you  sent  last  to  Sir  Charles  Cavendysshe,  but  I  was 
not  certaine  where  you  were,  or  how  my  letter  should  come 
at  you.  Now  having  notice  of  your  continuance  at  Cran- 

P  2 


68  LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS. 

borne  lodge,  and  the  conveniency  of  a  passenger  that  way,  I 
have  advertised  these  lines  to  you,  desiring  to  heare  from  you 
agayne  by  the  next  opportunity  you  can  finde. 

In  your  tract  De  Loco  Imaginis,  &c.,the  theoremes  you  take 
for  principles,  undemonstrated,  require  demonstration,  as 
much  as  the  conclusion  you  would  proove  by  them,  which 
yourself  having  first  given  notice  of,  I  suppose  it  worth  your 
paines  to  send  their  demonstrations :  and  so  to  cleere  the 
manner  of  vision,  how  it  is  made,  demonstratively ;  for  as  yet 
we  take  all  upon  probability. 

But  suppose  these  theoremes  were  demonstrated,  there 
is  yet  one  maine  doubt  remaining ;  and  that  is,  how  the  sense 
should  take  notice  of  the  lateral!  beames,  which  only  touch 
on  the  superficies  of  the  eye,  and  enter  not  into  it  directly, 
but  refracted.  And  if  the  sense  follow  the  direction  of  the 
refracted  beame,  that  leads  it  not  to  the 
object.  As  suppose  the  lateral  beame  be 
B  O ;  the  refracted  beame  in  the  eye  O  A ; 
the  doubt  is,  how  the  sense  can  take  no- 
tice of  B  O  without  the  eye,  soe  as  by  that 
to  be  descried  in  the  place  of  the  image. 
Whereas  it  seemes  more  probable  the  eye 
should  be  sensible  only  of  the  beame  O  A, 
which  is  within  it ;  but  then  if  it  follow 
the  direction  of  this  beame  A  O,  it  will 
lead  it  to  P,  against  all  experience.  But  it  may  be,  the 
cleare  expression  and  good  proofe  of  the  manner  how  vision 
is  made,  will  satisfye  this  inquisition  and  cleare  the  doubt ; 
I  meane  the  manner  how  simple  vision  is  made,  and  how  in 
that  the  sense  judges  the  object  without  it  to  be  in  such  a 
place,  and  not  short  or  further  on ;  for  though  this  forme  is  a 
thing  evident  of  itself,  yet  when  I  consider  it  more  seriously, 
I  finde  it  not  sufficiently  demonstrated  by  any  I  have  yett 
read. 

Agayne,  supposing  the  sight  to  be  discovered  on  the  lateral 
beames,  yet  it  is  not  thoroughly  apparent  why  it  should 
judge  the  place  of  the  object  to  be  in  the  concurse  of  these 
beames.  You  will  say  perhaps,  else  it  would  judge  the  ob- 
ject to  be  in  two  places.  This  I  well  conceive  as  an  absurdity 
crossing  under  experience  ;  but  the  cause  a  priori  is  the  thing 
1  looke  for  and  would  have,  if  it  may  be  had.  And  indeed 
this  lawe  well  cleered  would  necessary ly  conclude  the  former, 
except  single  vision  may  be  made  on  one  line,  and  then  the 
former  doubt  must  be  cleered  by  itself. 

Concerning  your  other  tract  of  the  Prospective.  The  short 
time  I  stayd  with  you  permitted  me  not  to  take  sufficient  in- 


LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS.  69 

siructions  from  you  to  satisfye  Sir  Charles  in  the  matter  of 
that  calculation ;  nor  the  effects  of  the  glass  focus  according 
to  the  measures  of  it.  The  doubts  we  conceive  of  its  effects, 
supposing  the  calculations  right,  are  these. 

1.  How  clere  vision  can  be  made,  by  beanies  tending  to  an 
angle  in  the  eye :  for  this  seemes  contrary  to  one  of  the  theo- 
remes  undemonstrated  in  your  other  tract :  but  your  glass 
drawes  the  beames  to  an  angle  on  the  eye. 

2.  How  one  beame  can  be  sufficient  to  cause  cleare  vision 
of  the  point  whence  it  comes ;  for  soe  your  glass  seemes  to 
be  calculated,  to  refract  ordinately  but  one  beame  from  one 
point  of  the  object. 

3.  But  if  you  say  the  glass  so  formM  will  convey  all  the 
beames  falling  on  it  from  one  poynt  ordinately  to  the  eye, 
this  would  be  well  demonstrated ;  for  else  it  would  cause  con- 
fusion, and  so  destroy,  if  not  all,  at  least  clere  and  distinct 
vision. 

4.  Lastly,  supposing  all  before  were  made  good ;  the  ques- 
tion is  whether  the  hand  or  toole  of  any  artificer  be  able  to 
worke  the  formes  or  moulds,  and  consequently  the  superficies 
of  the  glass  soe  true,  as  that  to  nature  they  shall  be  distin- 
guished from  other  convexe  superficies,  as  the  spheriques, 
coniques,  &c. 

Sir,  I  know  it  is  a  difficult  taske  for  you  to  treat  by  letters, 
but  since  we  have  yet  no  other  way,  and  that  the  infectious 
ayre  hinders  both  yours  and  my  gooing  to  London,  where  we 
might  meet  to  consider  how  to  bring  this  to  some  good  pass, 
I  desire  you  to  doe  us  the  favour,  in  the  meane  while,  to  write 
to  us  as  oft  as  you  can. 

I  heare  Mr.  Hobbes  is  expected,  with  his  charge,  very 
shortly.  I  doubt  not  but  he  will  finde  you  out ;  and  by  him 
you  may  send  your  letters  to  us,  if  you  can  finde  no  other. 
Or  if  you  send  your  packett  to  one  Mr.  Boothe,  steward  to 
the  Countess  of  Devonshyre,  at  Byflett,  nere  Oatlands,  to  be 
sent  by  him  to  me  at  Welbeck ;  in  regard  of  messengers  that 
pass  between  them  and  us,  your  letters  will  come  to  us  that 
way. 

Sir,  I  beseech  you  present  my  humble  service  to  the  noble 
knight  and  lady,  where  you  are,  as  also  to  Mr.  Aylsbury  and 
Mr.  Hyde,  with  my  hearty  thanks  to  them  for  their  favours. 
Soe  God  keepe  you  and 

Your  faythfull  friend  and  servant, 

ROBERT  PAYNE. 


70  LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS. 

THOMAS  LYDYAT  TO  MR.  ROUSE. 

[MS.  Bodl.  313.] 

To  his  friend,  Mr.  Rouse,  Fellow  of  Oriel  College,  and  Keeper 
of  the  public  Library  in  Oxford. 

Mr,  Rouse, — Having  occasion  to  send  to  Oxford,  I  have  sent 
you  a  copy  of  my  period  for  Dr.  Morrison,  not  so  fair  a  one 
as  I  would,  (during  mine  imprisonment  my  papers  of  some 
were  many  of  them  stained,  and  some  quite  marred  with  wet;) 
but  indeed  all  that  I  have  left,  except  only  that  with  Dr.  Bain- 
bridge  his  censure,  and  mine  answer  to  it;  a  transcript  whereof, 
and  of  my  postcript  in  the  bottom  of  my  table  hung  in  the 
library,  being  some  part  of  it  worn  away,  I  have  sent  withal : 
that  you  might  the  better  understand  what  I  said  to  you,  of 
hanging  up  a  better  in  its  place.  I  pray  you  remember  my 
service  to  Dr.  Morrison  :  I  would  I  were  able  to  gratify  him 
or  any  of  you  all  in  a  better  matter.  I  pray  you  also,  as  you 
have  fit  opportunity,  remember  me  to  Dr.  Turner ;  I  was  in- 
deed very  desirous  to  have  spoken  with  him,  and  tarried  all 
that  afternoon,  the  night  following,  and  the  next  day,  till  past 
nine  oclock  in  Oxford,  only  for  that  cause :  and  when  he  sent 
me  word  by  his  man,  that  I  could  not  speak  with  him  till  two 
oclock  in  the  afternoon,  the  excuse  that  I  made  was  true,  that 
my  horse  was  weak,  and  borrowed  but  for  a  day  :  whereunto 
I  might  have  added,  that  the  poor  man  of  whom  I  borrowed 
him  (my  nephew,  the  bearer  hereof,  lately  one  of  your  college 
tenant's  tenant  in  Kenington,  whose  errand  to  Oxford  at  this 
time  is  to  bring  a  child  of  his,  one  of  my  grand  nephews,  to 
be  a  chorister  in  New  College,)  hath  none  other  means  to  get 
his  living  but  by  his  teem,  whereof  that  was  one,  and  the 
principal  his  fhiller:  as  all  your  college  tenants  and  the  whole 
town  of  Kenington  can  witness  :  and  therefore  I  was  loth  to 
adventure  the  wronging  of  him  in  that  kind ;  especially  this 
busy  time  of  harvest,  and  opportunest  time  of  the  year  to  cart 
any  whither.  Otherwise  I  could  have  been  content  to  have 
further  attended  Dr.  Turner's  leisure.  So  with  remembrance 
of  my  duty  to  my  betters,  and  with  my  duty  and  my  best 
service  to  my  good  nurse  the  University  of  Oxford,  I  remain 
Yours  to  be  commanded  in  what  I  may, 

THOMAS  LYDYAT. 
Allerton,  Aug.  2,  1638. 


LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS.  71 

NATHANIEL  TORPORLEY  TO  THE  DUKE  OF 
NORTHUMBERLAND. 

[MS.  Birch,  Brit.  Mus.  4409,  fol.  87.  Orig.] 

July  5th,  1632. 

May  it  please  your  Lordship, — I  presumed  heretofore  to 
move  your  Lordship  on  the  behalf  of  Mr.  W.  for  some  con- 
sideration to  be  had  of  his  extraordinary  expense  in  attending 
the  publication  of  Mr.  H.'s  book,  after  the  copy  was  finished. 
The  same  humble  request  I  am  induced  to  renew  by  reson  of 
his  present  wants,  occasioned  by  that  attendance. 

For  his  literary  labour  and  paines  taken  in  forming  the 
work  and  fitting  it  for  the  publick  view,  he  looks  for  no  other 
reward  then  your  Lordship's  acceptance  thereof  as  an  honest 
discharge  of  his  duty.  But  his  long  attendance  through  un- 
expected difficulties  in  seeking -to  get  the  book  freely  printed; 
and  after  that  was  undertaken,  the  frivolous  delaies  of  the 
printers  and  slow  preceding  of  the  presse,  which  no  intreties 
of  his  or  mine  could  remedy,  drew  him  to  a  gretter  expence 
then  his  meanes  would  bere,  including  both  your  Lordship's 
pencion  and  the  arbitrary  help  of  his  frends.  It  is  this  ex- 
traordinary expense,  which  he  cannot  recover,  which  makes 
both  him  and  me  for  him  appele  to  your  Lordship's  goodness 
and  bounty  for  some  tollerable  mitigation  therof. 

I  purpose,  God  willing,  to  set  forth  other  peeces  of  Mr.  H., 
wherein,  by  reson  of  my  owne  incumbrances,  I  must  of  ne- 
cessity desire  the  help  of  Mr.  W.,  rather  then  of  any  other ; 
whereunto  I  find  him  redy  enough,  because  it  tends  to  your 
Lordship's  service,  and  may  the  more  freely  trouble  him,  yf 
he  receive  some  little  encouragement  from  your  Lordship  to- 
wards the  repairing  of  the  detriment  that  lies  still  upon  him 
by  his  last  imploiment.  But  for  the  future  my  intention  is 
to  have  the  impression  at  rny  own  charge,  and  not  depend  on 

the  curtesy  of  those  mechaniks,  making that  which 

may  seeme  to  be  saved  by  the  other  way,  will  not  counter- 
vaile  the  trouble  and  tedious  prolongation  of  the  busines. 
But  the  copies  being  made  perfect  and  faire  written  for  the 
presse,  they  shall  be  sufficiently  bound  to  deliver  the  books 
perfectly  clen  out  of  theire  hands,  and  by  this  meanes  the 
trouble  and  charge  of  attending  the  presse  will  be  saved. 
Therefore,  my  Lord,  what  you  do  now  will  be  but  for  this 
once ;  and  in  such  proportion  as  shall  best  like  you  to  favour 
the  humble  motion  of  him  who  is 

Allway  most  redy  at  your  Lordship's  commaund, 

T.  A.* 

*  This  letter,  although  signed  by  the  initials  T.  A.,  is  in  the  handwriting  of 
Torporley,  and  from  that  circumstance  and  the  subject  matter  of  the  letter,  there 


72  LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS. 


SIR  CHARLES  CAVENDISH  TO  JOHN  PELL. 

[MS.  Birch,  Brit.  Mus.  4278,  fol.  143.  Orig.] 

Wellingor,  January  8th,  1641. 

Worthie  Sir, — I  have  not  much  to  write  to  you  of,  onelie 
I  have  heard  nothing  of  those  bookes  you  writ  to  me  of.  I 
have  sent  you  hereinclosed  what  Mersennus  latelie  sent  me. 
I  desire  you  will  doe  me  the  favoure  to  write  it  oute  and  send 
it  me,  for  I  confess  his  hande  is  an  Arabicke  character  to  me ; 
I  praye  you  keepe  his  paper  till  it  please  God  wee  meete.  I 
doute  heer  hath  bin  ill  weather  for  Mr.  Reeves  to  worcke  in. 
And  so  wisshing  you  all  hapiness,  I  rest 

Your  assured  freind  to  serve  you, 

CHARLES  CAVENDYSSHE. 


SIR  CHARLES  CAVENDISH  TO  JOHN  PELL. 

[MS.  Birch,  Brit.  Mus.  4278,  fol.  146.  Orig.] 

Wellingor,  Feb.  5,  1641. 

Worthie  Sir, — I  thanke  you  for  your  letter  and  the  tran- 
script of  Mersennus  problem  ;  if  he  hath  read  Mr.  Brigs  or 
Mr.  Oughtred  I  wonder  he  would  send  it,  but  it  maye  be  he 
hath  found  it  the  analyticall  waye  himself.  I  am  glad  Mr. 
Reaves  was  in  such  forwardness  when  you  writ;  but  I  doute 
the  glass  (which  I  hope  is  nowe  finished)  is  not  of  the  same 
which  you  tried  your  refraction  in,  because  Mr.  Reaves  hath 
broken  in  his  triall  so  much  glass,  that  I  doute  there  is  none 
left  of  that  which  you  tried  your  refraction  in ;  but  I  hope 
fine  glass  differs  so  little  in  refraction  that  it  will  not  doe  us 
much  harme.  I  hope  you  goe  on  with  your  owne  analyticall 
worcke  as  your  occasions  will  permit  you.  I  have  no  more 
at  this  time  to  trouble  you  with,  but  remaine 

Your  assured  freind  to  serve  you, 

CHARLES  CAVENDYSSHE. 


can  be  little  doubt  but  that  it  was  written  and  composed  by  him.  There  is  no 
direction  to  this  letter,  but  the  allusion  to  Warner's  pension  shows  to  whom  it 
was  addressed.  It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  observe  that  the  initials  W.  and  H.  are 
intended  for  Warner  and  Harriot.  This  letter  will  serve  to  show  the  reason  why 
Torporley  afterwards  attacked  the  work  of  Harriot :  he  doubtless  failed  in  some 
application  to  the  Duke  of  Northumberland,  and  his  well-known  irascible  temper 
converted  his  previous  respect  for  Harriot's  memory  into  hatred.  See  my  Life  of 
Sir  Samuel  Morland,  p.  28. 


LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS. 


SIR  CHARLES  CAVENDISH  TO  JOHN  PELL. 

[MS.  Birch,  Brit.  Mus.  4278,  fol.  134.] 

Wellingor,  June  26,  1641. 

Sir,, — I  perceive  oure  business  of  making  the  perspective 
glass  proceeds  not,  and  I  knowe  not  well  howe  to  help  it, 
unless  there  be  some  as  good  matter  to  make  glass  in  some 
other  place  to  be  bought,  for  it  seemes  that  at  Broadstreet 
will  not  be  had;  I  am  not  willing  to  trouble  Sir  Robert 
Mansfeild  about  it,  though  I  thinke  he  would  not  denie  me. 
Therefore,  if  you  or  Mr.  Reaves  can  finde  fitting  matter  for 
us  somewhere  els,  ye  should  doe  me  a  greate  favoure ;  Broad- 
street  I  suppose  will  be  the  best  place  to  make  the  glass,  when 
ye  have  bought  the  stuff  to  make  it  of.  I  shall  write  to  Mr. 
Reaves  to  give  us  his  help  herein.  I  must  againe  thanke  you 
for  your  waie  of  ordering  aequations,  and  doe  desire  that  you 
will  proceed  in  your  intended  analyticall  worcke,  as  your  oc- 
casions will  give  you  leave.  I  desire  to  knowe  if  Mr.  War- 
ners analogicall  worck  goe  on  or  not.  And  so  wisshing  you 
all  hapiness  I  remaine 

Your  assured  freind  to  serve  you, 

CHARLES  CAVENDYSSHE. 

If  you  knowe  an  easie  and  readie  waie  to  measure  the  re- 
fraction in  water,  you  should  doe  me  a  favoure  to  let  me  knowe 
it ;  for  I  confess  I  knowe  none. 


SIR  CHARLES  CAVENDISH  TO  JOHN  PELL. 

[MS.  Birch,  Brit.  Mus.  4278,  fol.  136.  Orig.] 

Wellingor,  Julie  24,  1641. 

Worthie  Sir,— I  am  glad  to  heare  you  have  got  some  glass ; 
I  hope  it  is  good  and  fit  for  oure  purpose,  for  I  should  be 
unwilling  that  you  and  Mr.  Reaves  should  bestowe  your 
paines  upon  course  glass.  When  you  have  tried  what  the 
refraction  is  in  that  glass  I  desire  to  knowe  it,  and  allso  howe 
you  like  the  glass.  I  have  latelie  received  some  propositions 
out  of  France,  some  demonstrated  and  some  riot,  but  I  will 
not  divert  you  from  the  business  you  have  in  hand.  I  am 
glad  you  have  begun  the  analogiques,  and  hope  allso  that  you 
proceed  in  your  owne  analiticall  worcke.  And  so  wisshing 
you  all  hapiness,  I  remaine 

Your  assured  freind  to  serve  you, 

CHARLES  CAVENDYSSHE. 


74  LETTERS  OX  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS. 


SIR  CHARLES  CAVENDISH  TO  JOHN  PELL. 

[MS.  Birch,  Brit.  Mus.  4278,  fol.  139.  Grig.] 

Wellingor,  November  20th,  1641. 

Worthie  Sir, — I  hope  Mr.  Reaves  is  in  a  good  forwardness 
with  the  convex  glass ;  1  dout  not  but  you  will  trie  all  con- 
clusions with  it,  which  may  conduce  to  informe  you  whether 
it  be  an  hyperbole  or  no ;  as  allso  what  proportion  the  dia- 
meter of  the  glass  hath  to  the  line  of  the  contracted  beames 
of  the  sun  at  the  pointes  of  concourse ;  as  allso  to  observe 
wrhat  aparances  are  made,  the  eye  being  placed  in,  before,  or 
behinde,  the  pointe  of  concourse ;  and  in  the  mean  time,  be- 
fore the  concave  glass  be  made,  to  trie  whether  my  concave 
glass  which  you  have,  will  in  anie  sort  fit  it.  Sir,  I  leave  the 
further  scrutinie  of  this  to  your  better  consideration,  and 
wisshing  you  all  hapiness,  remaine 

Your  assured  freind  to  serve  you, 

CHARLES  CAVENDYSSHE. 

I  praye  you  comend  me  to  Mr.  Reaves  when  you  see  him. 


SIR  CHARLES  CAVENDISH  TO  JOHN  PELL. 

[MS.  Birch,  Brit.  Mus.  4278,  fol.  141.  Orig.] 

Wellingor,  December  18,  1641. 

Worthie  Sir, — I  thanke  you  for  your  letter  of  December  13. 
I  am  glad  Mr.  Reeves  is  so  well  fitted  for  oure  worcke ;  when 
he  hath  done  it,  I  dout  not  but  you  will  make  all  such  trialls 
as  maye  give  you  satisfaction  whether  it  be  a  true  hyperbole 
or  not,  and  then  proceed  to  the  making  of  the  concave  glass ; 
if  this  fit  it  not,  I  shall  still  be  in  hope  that  a  concave  on  both 
sides  will.  I  have  not  (to  my  remembrance)  scene  Henis- 
chius  arithmetick,  nor  should  desire,  for  his  mislike  of  de- 
monstration by  letters ;  yet  if  you  thinke  there  be  anie  thinge 
in  him  considerable,  which  is  not  in  Vieta  or  de  Cartes,  I  de- 
sire you  will  send  it  me,  and  Mr.  Moselei  will  paye  for  it,  as 
allso  for  Schemer's  Ars  Nova  Delineandi.  I  confess  I  expect 
not  an  exact  booke  of  analiticks  till  you  perfect  yours.  And 
so  wisshing  you  all  hapiness  I  rest 

Your  assured  freind  to  serve  you, 

CHARLES  CAVENDYSSHE. 


LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS. 


ROBERT  PINK  TO  THOMAS  LYDYAT. 

[MS.  Bodl.  313.] 

Mr.  Lydyat, — I  cannot  so  well  give  you  account  of  your 
tractate  which  you  have  sent  me,  as  if  you  yourself  come  over 
hither  to  me.  Which  that  you  may  do  without  your  charge  or 
trouble,  I  have  of  purpose  sent  over  this  my  servant  Henry 
Davis  with  a  horse  for  you.  He  hath  friends  to  visit  some 
few  miles  beyond  you,  which  he  may  do  and  be  back  with  you 
at  Alkerton  upon  Monday  or  Tuesday,  as  you  shall  appoint, 
to  attend  you  hither.  A  chamber  and  fire  and  diet  you  shall 
have  with  me  at  New  College,  and  the  longer  you  please  to 
stay,  the  better  welcome  shall  you  be.  Is  this  all,  will  you 
say  ?  No  !  but  there  is  that  more  in  it,  which  will,  I  am  sure, 
compell  you  to  come  over.  And  that  is  a  great  desire  my 
Lord  Primate  of  Ireland  hath  to  see  you,  and  to  joy  your 
company  for  awhile.  I  need  not  tell  you,  for  you  know  him 
better  than  I  do,  that  he  is  a  man  of  that  esteem,  as  no  man 
now  living,  that  I  can  hear  of,  is,  for  his  exquisite  knowledge 
and  solid  judgment  in  (almost)  all  points  of  learning.  You 
cannot  any  way  grace  yourself  more  in  the  eye  and  opinion 
of  the  University  than  to  have  it  known  that  he  loves  you  and 
approves  your  learning.  I,  perceiving  his  good  affection  to 
you,  told  him  of  your  "  Apparatus ;"  and  at  his  earnest  re- 
quest, delivered  him  a  good  part  of  it,  viz.  all  from  the  88th 
page  to  the  end,  to  read  over :  the  former  part  he  told  me  he 
had  read  over  long  since;  his  meaning  was,  I  thought,  in 
English.  Dr.  Bainbridge  was  then  in  company  with  us,  and 
therefore  I  mentioned  your  Mesolabe  to  His  Grace,  and  Dr. 
Bainbridge  his  non  satis  Geometrice,  telling  them  both  that 
I  looked  to  having  defects  punctually  discovered,  and  not  so 
in  the  general.  And  my  Lord,  if  any  man  will  be  able  to 
press  him  to  that,  and  disclose  either  your  mistake,  or  (which 
I  rather  believe)  his.  So  not  doubting  but  that  you  will  have 
that  respect  to  His  Grace's  loving  expressions  of  the  desire 
he  hath  to  see  you  here,  as  to  come  over  to  him,  and  make  me 
your  host  while  you  please,  I  heartily  wish  you  a  speedy  and 
safe  journey  hither,  so  remaining  always 

Your  assured  loving  friend, 

ROBERT  PINK. 
New  College,  Oxon. 

November  13th,  1641. 


76  LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS. 


SIR  CHARLES  CAVENDISH  TO  JOHN  PELL. 

[MS.  Birch,  Brit.  Mus.  4278,  fol.  168.  Grig.] 

Hamburg,  January  10,  1644. 

Worthie  Sir, — It  is  so  longe  since  I  hearde  from  you  that 
I  doute  my  letters  which  I  last  writ  to  you,  came  not  to  your 
handes.  I  sent  you  inclosed  in  one  of  them  the  answeare 
which  I  receaved  from  Auspurge  concerning  Reyeta's  glass, 
and  allso  my  desire  that  you  would  be  pleased  to  enquire  of 
Reyeta,  who  I  heare  is  at  Antwerp,  of  what  conditions  one 
of  his  glasses  may  be  had.  I  suppose  some  merchant  of  your 
acquaintance  will  doe  so  much  for  your  sake.  I  have  latelie 
had  some  discourse  with  Doctor  Jungius  and  Mr.  Tassius ; 
douteless  they  are  both  verie  learned  men.  I  was  at  Doctor 
Jungius  his  house,  where  he  shewed  me  manie  treatises  of  his 
owne  in  manuscript,  videlicet,  DeLocisPlanis,  DeMotuLocali, 
staticks,  hydrostaticks,  and  some  observations  of  insects.  I 
have  as  greate  an  opinion  of  his  abilities  as  of  anie  mans.  I 
finde  he  is  not  yet  minded  to  print  anie  thinge,  but  I  hope 
hereafter  he  will,  and  I  despaire  not  in  the  meane  time  but 
he  will  imparte  somewhat  to  me.  I  asked  Mr.  Tassius  (as 
you  desired  me)  his  opinion  of  your  refutation  of  the  Dane, 
who  aproves  of  it,  and  that  you  doe  it  without  helpe  of  the 
Table  of  Tangents.  I  writ  in  some  of  my  last  letters  to 
knowe  if  Cavalieros  worckes  and  Sethus  Calvisius  of  musick 
were  to  be  had.  Sir,  I  have  no  more  at  this  time,  but  wissh- 
ing  you  all  happiness  remaine 

Your  assured  friend  to  serve  you, 

CHARLES  CAVENDYSSHE. 


SIR  CHARLES  CAVENDISH  TO  JOHN  PELL. 

[MS.  Birch,  Brit.  Mus.  4278,  fol.  175.  Orig.] 

Hamburg,  January  |*-L,  1644, 

Worthie  Sir, — I  give  you  manie  thankes  for  your  letter  of 
the  £$  of  this  month.  I  am  glad  to  heare  you  meane  not  to 
trouble  your  self  with  Longomon.  more  than  as  an  appendix 
to  some  of  your  intended  worckes,  which  I  confess  I  longe 
much  to  see,  whatsoever  it  be,  especiallie  if  it  be  of  analytycks. 
I  give  you  also  manie  thankes  for  your  inquirie  of  Reieta,  and 
hope  shortelie  to  heare  from  you  whether  there  be  anie  hopes 
to  procure  one  of  his  best  glasses.  I  am  glad  he  will  print 


LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS.  77 

somewhat  howe  to  make  them.  Who  that  is  that  makes  those 
excellent  glasses  in  England,  I  know  not.  I  should  have 
guessed  him  to  have  bin  Hammilton,  who  was  generall  of 
the  artillerie  to  Leslei,  but  you  write  him  Haman,  whom  I 
have  not  heard  of,  but  I  hope  heereafter  wee  may  procure  one 
of  them.  I  am  sorie  Calvusius  cannot  be  had,  I  shall  not 
yet  trouble  you  for  the  other,  but  returne  you  manie  thankes 
for  your  inquirie  of  them.  I  am  now  growne  into  some 
aquaintance  with  Doctor  Jungius,  who  is  pleased  to  visit  me 
commonlie  twice  a  weeke,  and  to  irnparte  to  me  some  of  his 
conceptions  de  motu  locali ;  wee  are  yet  but  in  the  definitions, 
which  are  verie  well  expressed  ;  he  hath  allso  imparted  to  me 
divers  theorems  on  the  same  subject,  but  not  demonstrated 
them,  but  I  doute  not  but  he  can  and  will,  after  he  hath  laied 
foundation  enough  in  definitions  and  axiomes  to  builde  upon. 
I  am  sorie  1  lost  so  much  time  before  I  was  aquainted  with 
him,  but  I  shall  endevoure  to  redeeme  it  during  my  staie 
heere.  And  so  hoping  to  heare  shortelie  from  you,  and  wissh- 
ing  you  all  happiness,  I  rest 

Your  assured  friend  to  serve  you, 

CHARLES  CAVENDYSSHE. 


SIR  CHARLES  CAVENDISH  TO  JOHN  PELL. 

[MS.  Birch,  Brit.  Mus.  4278,  fol.  177,  Orig.] 

Antwerp,  March  26,  olde  style. 

Worthie  Sir, — Not  to  trouble  you  with  more  particulares 
of  oure  journei  than  that  at  Rotterdam  Sir  William  Boswell 
came  to  us,  whom  I  found  to  be  that  which  I  supposed  him 
formerlie  to  be,  a  discreete,  civill  gentleman.  I  perceive  he 
thinkes  Monsieur  de  Cartes  his  last  booke  to  be  full  of  fancie, 
though  he  esteemes  much  of  him.  Heere  I  mett  with  Sir 
Kenelm  Digbie's  booke,  but  had  no  time  to  reade  it  all ;  but 
it  apeares  to  me  to  have  some  things  in  it  extraordinarie. 
Wee  met  heere  with  the  famous  Cappuchin  Rieta,  his  booke 
is  nowe  in  the  press  heere  allmost  finished.  Hee  solves  the 
aparences  of  the  planetes  by  excentricks,  without  aequants  or 
epicicles,  and  yet  not  according  to  Copernicus  system  of  the 
worlde.  He  teaches  allso  in  this  booke  the  making  of  his 
newe  tellescope ;  his  tube  for  his  best  glass  was  spoiled  so  that 
wee  could  not  see  it,  but  wee  sawe  another  made  by  his  di- 
rections, but  had  not  the  oportunitie  of  looking  at  a  conve- 
nient object  far  distant,  but  as  I  guess  it  is  not  better  than 


LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS. 

myne,  it  represents  objects  even.  I  had  not  discourse  enough 
with  him  alone  to  aske  him  manie  quaeres,  but  douteless  he 
is  an  excellent  man  and  verie  courteous,  and  I  found  him  free 
and  open  in  his  discourse  to  me.  He  saies  he  can  easilie  and 
infalliblie  finde  the  longitude,  but  he  discovers  not  that  in 
this  booke.  He  saies  the  satellites  of  Jupiter  are  little  sunns, 
and  divers  other  novelties  he  hath  observed,  manie  of  which 
he  will  not  discover  in  this  booke.  I  have  no  more  nowe  to 
trouble  you  with,  but  to  desire  that  you  will  thinke  of  pub- 
lishing some  of  your  rarities,  especiallie  in  the  analitickes. 
And  so  wisshing  you  all  happiness,  I  remaine 

Your  assured  friend  and  servant, 

CHARLES  CAVENDYSSHE. 
Wee  are  nowe  going  towardes  Bruxells. 


SIR  CHARLES  CAVENDISH  TO  JOHN  PELL. 

[MS.  Birch,  Brit.  Mus.  4278,  fol.  149,  Orig.] 

Hamburg,  Julie  26,  1644. 

Worthie  Sir, — I  give  you  manie  thankes  for  your  letter, 
which  I  received  yesterdaie,  and  since  things  goe  not  so  well 
in  England,  I  am  glad  you  are  so  well  placed  for  the  present, 
for  I  suppose  it  a  place  of  good  means  as  well  as  of  honor ; 
yet  I  hope  by  the  grace  of  God  wee  shall  one  daie  meet  in 
England,  and  live  more  happilie  there  than  ever  wee  did.  I 
thinke  wee  shall  remaine  a  whyle  in  this  towne,  and  so  be 
deprived  of  the  happiness  of  your  conversation  but  by  letter, 
which  I  desire  you  will  be  pleased  sometimes  to  afford  me  at 
your  best  leasure.  I  desire  you  will  doe  me  the  favoure  to/"\ 
send  me  one  of  De  Cartes  his  new  bookes,  De  Principiis  Phi- ^ 
losophi&y  without  anie  addition  of  his  olde  worckes,  except  he"" 
hath  either  added  or  altered  something  in  the  matter ;  I  de- 
sire you  will  let  me  knowe  the  price  of  it,  and  howe  I  maye 
with  most  convenience  returne  monie  to  you,  for  I  am  likelie 
to  trouble  you  for  more  bookes.  I  praye  you  let  me  knowe 
whether  Mr.  Warner's  Analogicks  be  printed.  I  hope  you 
proceed  in  your  intended  worcke  of  Analiticks,  which  if  you 
doe  not,  I  beseech  you  doe,  and  finish  it  with  all  convenient 
speed;  for  I  confess  I  expect  not  anie  absolute  worcke  in  that 
kinde,  but  from  yourself.  I  praye  let  me  knowe  what  new 
inventions  are  extant  in  the  mathematicks  latelie,  if  anie. 
And  so  wisshing  you  all  happiness,  I  rest 

Your  assured  freind  to  serve  you, 

CHARLES  CAVENDYSSHE. 


LETTERS  ON   SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS.  7$ 

SIR  CHARLES  CAVENDISH  TO  JOHN  PELL. 

[MS.  Birch,  Brit.  Mus.  4278,  fol.  151,  Orig.] 

Hamburg,  Aug  -fg,  1644. 

Worthie  Sir, — Douting  that  my  letter  of  last  week  came 
not  to  your  handes,  makes  me  no  we  trouble  you  with  this. 
I  give  you  manie  thankes  for  your  letter,  and  am  most  glad 
that  you  are  well  and  in  so  good  a  condition ;  I  doute  not 
but  you  have  hearde  the  occasion  of  oure  comming  over,,  I 
take  no  pleasure  to  write  it,  nor  I  suppose  you  to  reade  it ; 
Gods  will  be  done,  and  to  that  I  humblie  submit.  I  desire 
you  will  be  pleased  to  send  me  De  Cartes  De  Principiis  Philo- 
sophies, and  none  of  his  olde  bookes,  except  there  be  some 
addition  or  alteration.  I  desire  your  opinion  of  the  late  dis- 
coverie  of  newe  stars ;  I  see  Gassendus  doutes  of  it.  I  desire 
to  knowe  if  Mr.  Warner's  Analogicks  be  printed,  and  if  there 
be  any  newe  bookes  of  Analiticks,  but  I  expect  no  greate 
advancement  of  Analitickes  but  by  yourself,  therefore  I  be- 
seech you  proceede  in  your  intended  worcke.  I  am  likelie 
sometimes  to  trouble  you  for  bookes,  therefore  I  desire  you 
will  let  me  knowe  howe  I  maye  returne  monie  to  you.  I 
longe  to  see  you.  In  the  meantime  I  hope  to  converse  by  let- 
ters. I  remaine 

Your  assured  freind  to  serve  you, 

CHARLES  CAVENDYSSHE. 


JOHN  PELL  TO  SIR  CHARLES  CAVENDISH. 

[MS.  Birch,  Brit.  Mus.  4280,  fol.  101.] 

Amsterdam,  August  7,  1644. 

Right  Honourable, — Nine  days  agoe  was  your  answere  to 
mine  left  at  my  lodging  by  a  man  that  would  have  nothing 
for  postage.  Had  I  scene  him,  perhaps  I  might  have  learned 
some  conveniency  of  sending  backe  to  you  againe,  so  that  my 
letters  might  be  lesse  chargeable  than  if  they  come  thus  single 
to  you  by  the  ordinary  poste. 

I  had  sent  you  J3es  Cartes  his  new  booke  forthwith,  if 
your  letter  had  given  me  direction  how  to  convey  it  to  you ; 
which,  seeing  you  have  not  done,  I  resolve  to  send  it  to  Ham- 
burg by  the  next  ship,  to  be  left  for  you  either  at  Berthold 
OfFermans,  a  booksellers ;  or  else,  at  some  other  friends  house 
which  I  shall  signify  by  letter.  Though  the  title-page  of  the 


80  LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS. 

other  part  tell  us  that  it  is  ab  auctore  perlecta  variisque  in  locis 
emendata,  yet  I  have  given  orders  to  leave  it  out,  and  to  binde 
his  Principia  Philosophice  apart  for  you ;  whereby  halfe  the 
price  is  abated.  I  suppose  I  shall  have  it  to-morrowe,  and 
then  I  shall  soone  finde  some  ship  to  send  it  by  :  for  such 
opportunittes  betweene  this  towne  and  Hamburg  are  very  fre- 
quent. 

Des  Cartes  himself  is  gone  into  France.  Monsieur  Hardy 
tells  us,  in  a  letter  lately  written,  that  Des  Cartes  met  him 
in  Paris,  and  blamed  him  for  offering  so  much  mony  to  our 
Arabicke  professor  at  Utrecht,  for  his  Arabicke  manuscript 
of  Apollonius.  Which  Mr.  Hardy  interprets  as  a  signe  of  envy 
in  Des  Cartes,  as  being  unwilling  that  we  should  esteeme  the 
ancients,  or  admire  any  man  but  himselfe  for  the  doctrine  of 
lignes  courbes. 

But  I  think  France  alone  will  afford  me  argument  for  a 
large  letter,  and  therefore  I  leave  it  till  the  next  time. 

Come  we  therefore  to  England.  And  first  for  Mr.  War- 
ner's Analogickes,  of  which  you  desire  to  know  whether  they 
be  printed.  You  remember  that  his  papers  were  given  to  his 
kinsman,  a  merchant  in  London,  who  sent  his  partner  to  bury 
the  old  man :  himselfe  being  hindred  by  a  politicke  gout, 
which  made  him  keepe  out  of  their  sight  that  urged  him  to 
contribute  to  the  parliament's  assistance,  from  which  he  was 
exceedingly  averse.  So  he  was  looked  upon  as  one  that  ab- 
sented himselfe  out  of  malignancy,  and  his  partner  managed 
the  whole  trade.  Since  my  comming  over,  the  English  mer- 
chants heere  tell  me  that  both  he  and  his  partner  are  broken, 
and  now  they  both  keepe  out  of  sight,  not  as  malignants,  but 
as  bankrupts.  But  this  you  may  better  inquire  among  our 
Hamburg  merchants.  In  the  meane  time  I  am  not  a  little 
afraid  that  all  Mr.  Warner's  papers,  and  no  small  share  of 
my  labours  therein,  are  seazed  upon,  and  most  unmathe- 
matically  divided  between  the  sequestrators  and  creditors, 
who  (being  not  able  to  ballance  the  account  where  there  ap- 
peare  so  many  numbers,  and  much  troubled  at  the  sight  of 
so  many  crosses  and  circles  in  the  superstitious  Algebra  and 
that  blacke  art  of  Geometry)  will,  no  doubt,  determine  once 
in  their  lives  to  become  figure- casters,  and  so  vote  them  all 
to  be  throwen  into  the  fire,  if  some  good  body  doe  not  re- 
prieve them  for  pye-bottoms,  for  which  purposes  you  know 
analogicall  numbers  are  incomparably  apt,  if  they  be  accu- 
rately calculated. 

I  cannot  tell  you  much  better  ne\vs  of  my  analyticall  spe- 
culations, of  the  finishing  of  which  you  desire  to  heare.  I 
came  over  hither  in  December  last,  not  bringing  any  of  my 


LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS.  81 

bookes  or  papers  with  me :  nor  hardly  clothes,  for  the  worst 
I  had  seemed  good  enough  to  weare  o'  shipboard.  I  then 
thought  not  to  stay  heere  above  a  fortnight ;  nor  did  I  imagine 
that  before  I  gat  out  of  this  towne  againe,  I  should  be  per- 
suaded to  clime  the  cathedra,  and  make  inaugurate  orations 
and  prolusions,  and  afterward  reade  publikely  5  dayes  in  a 
weeke,  an  houre  every  day  in  Latine.  Which  had  I  foreseene, 
I  thinke  that  all  the  bookes  and  papers  that  I  had,  both 
yours  and  mine,  should  have  come  along  with  me  to  enable 
me  to  doe  those  things  the  more  easily.  And  yet  I  have  no 
great  minde  to  goe  fetch  them,  nor  to  send  for  them ;  so  long 
as  they  are  there  unstirred,  they  seeme  to  be  safe.  But  the 
disasters  of  the  whole  kingdome  put  me  in  minde  of  what 
Melancthon  used  so  often  to  say,  non  est  tutum  quieta  moyere. 
What  may  happen  to  them  in  the  remoovall,  by  searchers, 
pirats,  &c.,  I  am  not  willing  to  try.  Yet  so  long  as  they  are 
there  we  cannot  count  them  out  of  danger.  But  should  that 
befall  Mr.  Warner's  papers  and  mine  which  we  feare,  it  would 
put  me  into  an  humour  quite  contrary  to  that  in  which  I  have 
hitherto  beene.  I  Jiave  thought  nothing  elaborate  enough  to 
be  printed,  till  it  were  so  complete  that  no  man  could  better 
it,  and  did  therefore  so  long  keepe  my  name  out  of  the  presse : 
but  now  I  begin  to  count  nothing  safe  enough  till  it  be 
printed,  and  therefore  I  have  almost  resolved  to  secure  my 
thoughts,  not  by  burying  my  papers  in  England,  nor  by 
fetching  them  hither,  but  by  publishing  the  same  notions 
heere  that  I  have  committed  to  paper  there. 

I  had  thought  heere  to  have  given  you  account  of  what  I 
have  now  in  hand ;  but  being  desirous  by  this  poste  to  let 
you  know  that  your  letter  came  safe  to  my  hands,  I  am  con- 
strained to  breake  off  heere,  deferring  the  rest  till  my  next. 
In  the  meane  time  I  remaine,  Sir, 

Your  humble  servant, 

JOHN  PELL. 


SIR  WILLIAM  PETTY  TO  JOHN  PELL. 

[MS.  Birch,  Brit.  Mus.  4279,  fol.  173,  Orig.] 

Leyden,  August  14, 1644. 

Sir. — On  Sunday  noone  I  received  youre  lettre  of  Friday, 
together  with  nine  copies  of  youre  refutation  of  Longomon- 
tanus,  the  whicHe,  according  to  your  desire,  I  have  distributed 
as  followeth,  viz  :  to  Golius,  who,  upon  perusall  of  it,  said  it 
was  a  most  solid  refutation,  thanking  you  very  much  that  you 


82  LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS. 

remembred  him  with  a  copie,  and  said  withall,  that  hee  at  his 
last  beeing  at  Amsterdam  much  endeavored  to  have  wayted 
on  you  there.  But  he  told  mee  that  it  is  well  thirty  yeares 
since  Longomontanus  his  doctrine  first  saw  light,  since  which 
tyme  hee  hath  by  many  letters  beerie  advertised  of  his  error, 
but  being  strangely  enamoured  of  his  invention,  could  not  bee 
made  to  retract  it ;  and  hee  hath  growne  extreme  old  in  his 
dotage  thereon,  "  wherefore/'  said  Gojius,  "t'were  scarce  re- 
ligion to  trouble  the  obstinat  old  man  any  more,  since  other 
thoughts  would  better  become  his  yeares  than  the  mathema- 
ticks."  I  then  went  to  Salmatius,  professor  honorarius,  who 
likewise  shewed  many  tokens  of  his  kind  acceptance,  and  told 
mee  (among  other  discourse,  whereof  I  had  much  with  him) 
that  the  age  of  the  author  of  this  false  opinion  would  sett  an 
authority  on  it,  and  therefore  it  had  the  more  need  of  refuta- 
tion. Walaeus  thankes  you  very  much,  expressing  no  faint 
desiresToliave  the  honor  (as  hee  said)  of  youre  acquaintance. 
I  have  presented  one  to  Mons1'.  de  Laet  but  this  morning,  for 
at  a  many  other  tymes  that  I  had  formerly  been  to  wayte  on 
him,  I  was  not  so  happy  as  to  find  him.  Van  Schooten  also 
thanckes  you,  but  hee  being  very  old  and  indispose3~I  had 
not  much  talke  with  him  as  I  had  with  the  others.  To  Dr. 
Kyper,  being  a  man  reasonably  vers'd  in  those  studies,  and 
not  of  low  esteeme  here,  I  presented  one ;  I  have  given  2 
to  Toncher  Hooghland,  a  chymist  and  physician,  Des  Cartes 
his  most  intimate  freiiid  and  correspondent,  who  hath  pro- 
mised at  his  next  writing  to  send  one  to  Des  Cartes.  And 
so,  having  retayned  only  one  to  show  my  friends  up  and 
downe  where  I  goe,  I  hope  they  are  all  disposed  of  to  your 
mind.  If  you  please  to  send  twelve  more  I  can  dispose 
them  to  some  other  professors;  3  or  4  I  would  send  for 
England  to  Mr.  Oughtred,  Mr.  Barlow,  and  others,  if  you 
doe  not  youreselfe.  I  judge,  by  the  leaves,  that  these  coppies 
are  part  of  some  booke  which  you  will  shortly  blesse  the 
world  with,  and  hope  that  my  expectation  shall  not  bee  in 
vaine.  Now,  sir,  I  must  thanke  you  for  the  honoure  you 
have  done  mee  by  using  mee  as  an  instrument  in  this  youre 
busines;  truly  I  doe  so  well  like  the  employment,  and  so 
ressent  this  your  favoure,  that  I  confesse  myselfe  obliged  to 
bee, 

Youre  most  affectionate  friend  and  humble  servant, 

W.  PETTY. 

PS. — There  are  some  in  whom  (as  in  him  qui  ex  pede 
Herculem,  &c.)  this  your  magnum  opusculum  hath  begotten 
such  an  opinion  of  your  meritt  that  they  resolve  to  live  at 
Amsterdam  to  receyve  your  instructions. 


LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS.  83 

SIR  CHARLES  CAVENDISH  TO  JOHN  PELL. 

[MS.  Birch,  Brit.  Mus.  4278,  fol.  153,  Orig.] 

Hamburg,  Aug.  £f ,  1644. 

Worthie  Sir,— Yesterday e  I  received  yours  of  the  |-§  of 
August,  for  the  which  I  give  you  manie  thankes.  I  heare 
nothing  yet  of  our  removing  from  hence,  if  we  should  remove 
into  Hollande  I  should  be  in  hope  to  see  you,  and  intended 
to  see  De  Cartes,  but  you  write  he  is  gone  to  Paris.  I  desire 
your  judgment  of  De  Cartes  his  new  booke.  Doutelesse  he 
is  an  excellent  man.  I  hope  Mr.  Hobbes  and  he  will  be  ac- 
quainted, and  by  that  meanes  highlie  esteeme  one  of  another. 
I  am  sorie  Mr.  Warner's  analogicks  are  not  printed,  but  I  yet 
hope  they  maye,  as  also  other  worckes  of  that  excellent  olde 
man.  I  am  glad  you  intend  to  secure  your  thoughts  by  pub- 
lishing them,  and  that  you  are  printing  Diophantus  with 
newe  illustrations  after  your  manner,  which  I  am  exceeding 
greedie  to  see,  but  I  doute  you  will  not  in  this  worcke  teache 
us  the  whole  science  of  analiticks  with  all  that  pertaines  to 
it,  which  if  you  doe  not  nowe,  I  beseech  you  doe  heereafter, 
for  I  suppose  you  intended  such  a  woorck,  and  if  you  finish 
it  not,  I  doute  wee  shall  have  no  better  analiticks  than  wee 
have.  I  have  not  yet  received  your  refutation  of  C.  S.  Longo- 
montanus  his  quadrature  of  a  circle,  but  I  shall  inquire  dilli- 
gentlie  for  it,  for  I  longe  to  see  where  he  goes  out  of  the  waye. 
I  am  well  acquainted  with  Mr.  Gascoine,  whoe  was  providore 
to  oure  armie :  he  is  an  ingenious  man  and  hath  shewed  me 
howe  perspectives  maye  be  much  improved;  I  onelie  mislike 
his  glass  next  the  eye  which  he  makes  convex  on  both  sides ; 
I  tolde  him  it  woulde  make  confused  sight,  if  De  Cartes  his 
doctrine  be  true,  but  upon  triall  it  proved  more  distinct  than 
I  expected,  yet  I  thinke  a  concave  on  that  side  next  the  eye 
would  doe  better ;  his  perspective  did  not  multiplie  more  than 
myne  as  I  thinke,  but  his  speculation  is  most  true,  and  this 
was  one  of  his  first  trialls  and  not  made  to  the  manner  of  his 
best  inventions.  Wee  lodge  neere  St.  John's  Church.  And 
so  wisshing  you  all  happiness,  I  remaine 

Your  assured  freind  to  serve  you, 

CHARLES  CAVENDYSSHE. 


G  2 


84  LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS. 

SIR  CHARLES  CAVENDISH  TO  JOHN  PELL. 

[MS.  Birch,  Brit.  Mus.  4278,  fol.  155,  Orig.] 

Worthie  Sir, — Manie  thankes  for  yours  of  the  T77  of  Sep- 
tember. I  am  sorie  for  Beaugrand  and  Herrisons  deathes, 
but  I  hope  it  will  make  you  nowe  seriouslie  thinke  of  pol- 
lishing  and  publishing  your  former  thoughts  of  analiticks.  I 
never  sawe  Harrison's  6th  tome,  nor  I  thinke  his  5th,  yet 
somewhat  of  algebra  in  those  tomes  I  have,  but  nothing  newe 
as  I  remember,  or  verie  little.  From  Robervall  and  Fermat 
I  expect  much.  Nicerons  perspective  I  thinke  I  have  at  Lon- 
don, and  as  I  remember  one  hath  manifestlie  convinced  his 
booke  of  error ;  but  if  I  mistake,  and  that  you  aprove  of  Ni- 
cerons perspective,  I  desire  you  will  send  it  me.  If  there  be 
anie  more  than  is  in  that  little  booke  allreadie  extant,  con- 
cerning the  newe  jomales,  you  shall  doe  me  a  favoure  to  send 
it  me.  I  am  extreamelie  taken  with  Des  Cartes  his  newe 
booke,  yet  I  thinke  Kercher  the  Jesuit  of  the  loaldestone 
hath  prevented  Des  Cartes,  for  they  differ  little  as  I  remem- 
ber ;  I  confess  I  conceive  not  howe  the  particulse  striatae  by 
theyr  motion  can  reduce  a  loadestone,  or  touched  needle  (for- 
merly moved  from  theire  meridian),  to  their  meridian  againe ; 
or  if  they  doe,  the  situation  of  the  poles  would  be  contrarie  to 
Des  Cartes  his  description.  I  beleeve  Mr.  Hobbes  will  not 
like  so  much  of  Des  Cartes  newe  booke  as  is  the  same  with 
his  metaphisickes,  but  most  of  the  rest  I  thinke  he  will. 
Doctor  Jungius  hath  bin  once  with  me,  I  like  him  extreamelie 
well,  but  I  cannot  speake  Latin  well  nor  readilie,  which  hin- 
dered me  of  divers  quaeres,  and  besides  I  would  not  trouble 
him  too  much  at  the  first  visit.  I  finde  him  verie  free,  and 
intend,  God  willing,  to  be  better  acquainted  with  him.  He 
approves  of  your  confutation  of  Longomontanus,  though  he 
seemed  to  thinke  Long,  would  take  exceptions  that  you  use 
tangents,  which  he  refuses  to  be  tried  by.  If  Gassendes  Phi- 
losophic be  extant  I  praye  you  send  it  me.  I  have  not  yet 
seen  Mr.  Tassius,  but  he  sends  me  word  he  will  come  to  me. 
They  are  commonlie  full  of  business  or  els  I  would  often  visit 
them.  I  mervaile  you  have  not  received  £5,  which  I  paied 
to  Mr.  John  D'Orvill  longe  since,  who  promised  to  doe  it 
with  all  convenient  expedition ;  but  I  hope  you  have  received 
it  before  nowe.  I  have  troubled  you  enough  for  once. 
I  remaine  your  assured  friend  to  serve  you, 

CHARLES  CAVENDYSSHE. 

Doctor  Jungius  preferrs  the  analiticks  of  the  ancients  be- 


LETTERS  OX  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS.  85 

fore  Vietaes  by  letters,  which  he  sales  is  more  subject  to 
errors  or  mistakes,,  though  more  facile  and  quick  of  dispatch, 
but  I  conceive  not  yet  whye. 


SIR  CHARLES  CAVENDISH  TO  JOHN  PELL. 

[MS.  Birch,  Brit.  Mus.  4278,  fol.  157,  Orig.] 

Hamburg,  Oct.  £#,  1644. 

Worthie  Sir, — Manie  thankes  for  yours  of  October  T2^.  I 
conceive  there  might  easilie  be  a  mistake  in  the  waie  of  re- 
turning that  £5  to  you,  but  I  am  glad  you  nowe  have  it. 
What  difference  there  is  between  banck  dollers  and  rixdollers 
I  knowe  not/but  I  intended  you  should  receive  to  the  value  of 
£5  sterling ;  if  it  want  anie  considerable  sum  I  praye  let  me 
knowe  it,  for  though  the  whole  sum  be  not  much  considerable, 
yet  the  cosenage  is.  I  received  yesterdaie  a  letter  from 
Mr.  Hobbes,  who  had  not  seen  De  Cartes  his  newe  booke 
printed,  but  had  reade  some  sheets  of  it  in  manuscript,  and 
seems  to  receive  little  satisfaction  from  it,  and  saies  a  friend 
of  his  hath  reade  it  through,  and  is  of  the  same  minde ;  but 
by  their  leaves  I  esteeme  it  an  excellent  booke,  though  I 
thinke  Monsieur  Des  Cartes  is  not  infallible.  Mersennus  is 
gone  towardes  Roome.  Those  bookes  I  desired  might,  I 
suppose,  have  nowe  bin  in  print,  for  Mersennus  mentioning 
them  so  manie  months  since,  as  worckes  either  printed  or 
readie  for  the  press,  made  me  upon  that  supposall  desire  them 
if  extant.  Mr.  Hobbes  writes  Gassendes  his  philosophic  is 
not  yet  printed,  but  that  he  hath  reade  it,  and  that  it  is  as 
big  as  Aristotle's  philosophic,  but  much  truer  and  excellent 
Latin.  Though  you  discommend  Niceron  for  a  vainglorious 
man,  yet  your  naming  of  his  booke  commended  it  to  me,  yet 
not  knowing  certainelie  whether  I  have  it  or  not,  and  expect- 
ing a  second  edition,  for  the  present  I  desire  it  not.  I  desire 
Gassendes  his  refutation  of  Des  Cartes  his  Metaphisicks,  printed 
in  4to. ;  and  if  there  be  anie  other  booke  of  philosophic  or 
mathematicks  latelie  printed,  I  desire  it  allso,  especiallie  your 
Diophantus,  if  extant,  or  anie  thinge  els  of  yours.  I  desire  you 
will  dispose  of  the  remainder  of  that  smalle  sum  I  returned  to 
your  owne  use.  Manie  thankes  for  the  copie  of  Reitas  letter. 
I  admire  his  glass,  and  would  gladlie  buye  such  a  glass,  and 

fet  acquaintance  with  the  frier  and  his  workman  by  letter  if 
could. 

Your  assured  friend  to  serve  you, 

CHARLES  CAVENDYSSHE. 


86  LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS. 


SIR  CHARLES  CAVENDISH  TO  JOHN  PELL. 

[MS.  Birch,  Brit.  Mus.  4278,  fol.  159,  Orig.] 

Hamburg,  November  y^p  1644. 

Worthie  Sir,  —  Manye  thankes  for  your  letter,  wherein  you 
write  that  you  have  Apollonius  3  bookes  of  conicks  in 
Arabick,  more  than  wee  had  in  the  Greeck,  and  36  authors 
more.  I  hope  some  of  those  are  of  the  mathemathicks. 
Howsoever  I  dout  not  but  they  are  worthie  the  press.  I  like 
extreamelie  both  the  proposition  and  demonstration  of  Apol- 
lonius in  your  letter  ;  and  to  my  aprehension  the  expression 
of  the  same  proposition  in  Mersennus  his  book  is  perplexed 
and  no  demonstration  translated.  I  vvonder  Goleas  hath  not 
published  it  all  this  whyle  ;  yet  being  nowe  in  your  handes, 
I  am  not  sorie  he  did  not  ;  for  I  assure  myself  wee  shall  nowe 
have  it  with  more  advantage  than  the  loss  of  so  much  time. 
Though  I  doute  not  but  your  explication  of  Diophantus  will 
put  us  in  to  a  more  sure  waye  of  analiticks  than  formerlie,  yet 
I  suppose  there  is  so  much  to  be  added  and  explained 
concerning  analiticks  that  it  will  require  a  large  volume, 
and  I  hope  you  continue  your  intention  of  publishing  such 
a  worke,  which  I  beseech  you  thinke  seriouslie  of  to  publish 
with  all  convenient  speede  ;  for  it  is  a  worcke  worthie  of 
you.  I  have  sent  to  inquire  at  Auspurge  of  the  famouse 
Reieta,  to  procure  me  one  of  his  best  sorte  of  glasses, 
but  I  have  yet  no  answeare.  If  your  occasions  will  permit 
you,  I  shall  take  it  as  a  favoure  if  you  will  visite  my  Lord 
Widdrington,  nowe  in  his  passage  towardes  France.  And  so 
wisshing  you  all  happiness  I  remaine 

Your  assured  friend  to  serve  you, 

CHARLES  CAVENDYSSHE. 


SIR  CHARLES  CAVENDISH  TO  JOHN  PELL. 

[MS.  Birch,  Brit.  Mus.  4278,  fol.  161,  Orig.] 

Hamburg,  December  |  g?  1644. 

Worthie  Sir, — Manie  thankes  for  your  letter  and  Gassendes 
his  booke,  which  I  received  by  Sir  William  Carnabye.  I  am 
of  your  opinion  that  Gassandes  and  De  Cartes  are  of  different 
dispositions,  and  I  perceive  Mr.  Hobbes  joines  with  Gas- 
sendes in  his  dislike  of  De  Cartes  his  writings,  for  he  utterlie 
mislikes  De  Cartes  his  last  newe  booke  of  philosophic,  which 


LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS.  87 

by  his  leave  I  highlie  esteem  of.  I  am  sorie  the  peevish  Dane 
Severin  diverts  you  from  your  better  studies,  for  to  my 
aprehension  your  refutation  is  full  and  plaine,  and  the  pro- 
position you  builde  on  so  obvious,  that  I  thinke  I  could  demon- 
strate it  in  ^  of  an  hour.  I  have  not  yet  received  answeare 
from  Auspurge  concerning  Reita's  glass,  but  I  perceive  Mr. 
Hobbes  esteemes  neither  of  his  glass  nor  beleevs  his  dis- 
coveries, for  he  is  joined  in  a  greate  friendship  with  Gassendes. 
I  writ  to  him  Gassendes  might  be  deceived  as  he  was  about 
the  varieing  of  the  perpendiculars  ;  he  excuses  him  what  he 
can.  Mr.  Tassius  is  sick,  but  I  perceive  hee  is  verie  courteous . 
I  have  not  latelie  seen  Doctor  Jungius,  but  I  have  a  greate 
opinion  of  his  abilities.  I  desire  to  knowe  if  all  Bonaventura 
Cavallieros  worckes  be  to  be  had,  as  allso  Sethus  Calvisius 
worckes  of  musick,  for  I  sawe  heere  but  some  fragments 
which  Mr.  Tassius  lent  me.  You  will  excuse  me  that  I 
requite  not  your  favoures  for  the  present,  as  I  desire  I  can 
onelie  yet  acknowledge  them,  but  shall  heereafter  by  the 
grace  of  God  endevoure  to  requite  them  to  my  power.  And 
so  wisshing  you  all  happiness  I  remaine 

Your  assured  friend  to  serve  you, 

CHARLES  CAVENDYSSHE. 


SIR  CHARLES  CAVENDISH  TO  JOHN  PELL. 

[MS.  Birch,  Brit.  Mus.  4278,  fol.  163,  Orig.j 

Hamburg,  December  ^y>  1644, 

Worthie  Sir, — I  hope  you  have  received  my  letter  which  I 
sent  last  weeke  by  my  brother's  servant.  I  have  little  to 
adde,  but  this  inclosed  concerning  Reieta's  glass.  I  desire 
you  will  be  pleased  to  inquire  if  he  be  at  Antwerp,  and  if  he 
be,  to  inquire  of  him  if  one  of  those  glasses  maye  be  had  both 
sooner  and  at  an  easier  rate.  I  desire  by  your  next  to  knowe 
if  Bonaventura  Cavelliero  and  Sethus  Calvisius  of  musick  be 
to  be  had.  I  hope  you  have  done  with  the  waiewarde  Dane, 
that  you  maye  returne  to  Apollonius  and  Diophantes,  but 
especiallie  to  your  owne  analiticall  worcke,  which  I  ex- 
treamelie  desire  to  see.  Mr.  Hobbes  puts  me  in  hope  of  his 
philosophic  which  he  writes  he  is  nowe  putting  in  order,  but 
I  feare  that  will  take  a  longe  time.  I  confess  I  regret  much 
from  him  and  yourself;  Mr.  Doctor  Jungius  and  Mr.De  Cartes 
I  hope  hath  not  yet  done.  I  expect  allso  some  rarities  in 


88  LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS. 

analiticks  and  geometric  from  Fermat  and  Robervall,  so  that 
I  hope  oure  age  will  be  famous  in  that  kinde.  And  so  wissh- 
ing  you  all  happiness  I  remaine 

Your  assured  friend  to  serve  you, 

CHARLES  CAVENDYSSHE. 


SIR  CHARLES  CAVENDISH  TO  JOHN  PELL. 

[MS.  Birch,  Brit.  Mus.  4278,  fol.  170,  Orig.] 

Paris,  June  27,  olde  style,  1645. 

Worthie  Sir, — I  give  you  manie  thankes  for  your  letter  of 
May  T9^,  which  I  received  not  longe  since.  I  writ  to  you  a 
letter  from  hence  a  greate  whyle  since,  in  which  was  one 
inclosed  to  Doctor  Jungius,  and  a  proposition  demonstrated 
by  Mr.  Hobbes,  all  which  I  hope  you  have  received.  I  have 
as  you  desire  procured  not  onelie  the  approbation  but  demon- 
stration of  your  fundamentall  proposition  by  Mr.  Hobbes  his 
meanes.  Fermat  is  not  in  this  towne,  and  Mersennus  is  on 
his  waye  hither,  so  that  I  knowe  not  whither  to  write  to  him. 
But  I  doute  not  but  more  handes  with  demonstrations 
might  be  procured  if  you  desire  it ;  I  heare  some  of  them 
wonder  you  would  not  publish  a  demonstration  of  it  your- 
self. I  tolde  Mr.  Hobbes  I  assured  myself  you  coulde 
demonstrate  it,  and  thought  it  more  obvious  than  I  perceive 
they  thincke  it.  I  am  glad  you  are  publishing  of  Appolonius 
and  Diophantus,  though  if  Goleas  meane  to  publish  his 
Appolonius,  I  could  be  content  you  forbore  yours,  his  being 
the  perfecter  copie,  and  he  having  bin  at  some  cost  about  it, 
though  I  doute  we  shall  be  loosers  by  it,  for  I  beleeve  your 
notes  w*ould  abundantlie  recompence  the  defect  of  your 
coppie.  ;  I  have  not  yet  seen  Bullialdes  Astronomic,  but 
Mr.  Hobbes  thinckes  he  hath  not  much  advanced  oure  knowre- 
ledge.  Mydorgius  hath  publisshed  nothing  of  late,  nor  anie 
of  the  rest  more  that  I  heare  of.  I  hope  you  proceed  with 
your  analytickes,  and  that  er  longe  you  will  publish  it,  for  I 
expect  not  so  much  from  anie  man  in  that  kinde  as  from  your- 
self. I  suppose  you  will  one  daye  advance  allso  the  doctrine 
of  conickes  and  of  other  difficulties  in  geometrie.  I  knowe 
not  when  wee  remove,  nor  wdiither;  but  when  and  where- 
soever I  remaine 

Your  assured  friend  to  serve  you, 

CHARLES  CAVENDYSSHE, 


LETTERS   ON   SCIENTIFIC   SUBJECTS.  S9 


JOHN  PELL  TO  JOHN  LEAKE. 

[MS.  Birch,  4280,  fol.  94.     Original  draft.] 

Amsterdam,  August  7th,  1645. 

Mr.  Leake, — It  is  a  yeare  agoe  since  these  inclosed  papears 
were  printed,  and  then  upon  this  occasion.  I  found  a  booke 
of  Longomontanus  of  9  or  10  sheetes  De  Mensura  Circuli, 
printed  heere  at  Amsterdam  since  I  came  hither,  but  without 
my  knowledge.  I  therefore  thought  good  to  give  notice  that 
it  was  done  without  my  approbation,  as  knowing  the  measure 
to  be  false,  as  also  to  show  a  new  way  of  refuting  all  those 
that  make  the  circle's  area  and  periphery  too  great.  And 
such  another  way  have  I  of  refuting  all  those  that  make  the 
circle's  area  and  periphery  too  little,  if  there  be  any  such,  for 
I  doe  not  remember  one  example  amongst  all  the  foolish 
cyclometers  that  ever  I  saw.  He  that  printed  Longomon- 
tanus his  booke,  printed  also  my  refutation,  and  that  they 
might  allwayes  be  joined,  he  added  those  numbers  73,  74 ; 
for  Longomontanus  ends  in  72.  I  caused  these  my  papers 
to  be  dispersed  among  the  mathematicians  all  over  Europe. 
I  hoped  that  of  those  which  I  sent  so  long  since  to  London, 
one  might  have  come  to  your  hands,  but  I  perceived  yesterday 
by  Mr.  Sugar  that  you  had  not  heard  of  it.  I  sent  also  one 
to  Longomontanus,  who  answered  ignorantly  and  scurvily ; 
and  upon  occasion  of  a  letter  written  by  me  to  a  friend  in 
Denmarke,  he  has  lately  published  a  second  reply  not 
altogether  so  monstrous  as  the  former.  Mr.  Sadler  hath  a 
coppy  of  his  first  reply  and  of  the  Paris  professor's  judgement 
of  my  refutation.  I  have  received  other  mathematicians' 
verdicts,  onely  I  have  as  yet  none  out  of  England.  My  intent 
is  to  appeale  the  judgements  of  all  those  that  by  demonstrating 

(2r^t  \ 

— — —  =  d  j  can  shew  them- 
selves able  to  judge  of  such  a  controversy.  Therefore  by  your 
meanes  I  shall  hope  to  obtaine  a  line  or  two  subscribed  by  your 
Gresham  professors,  and  as  many  other  students  as  will  take 
the  paines  to  demonstrate  the  first  theoreme.  Such  I  take 
to  be  Mr.  Gunton,  Mr.  Fiske,  Mr.  Leake,  Mr.  Bond,  and 
some  others  better  knowen  to  you  than  to  me;  which  appro- 
bation and  demonstrations  I  desire  to  have  as  soone  as  may 
be,  because  I  would  print  them  with  my  owne  and  those 
which  I  have  allready  of  other  men's,  that  so  those  ignorant 
dames  may  be  so  much  the  more  confounded  to  set  a  thing 
demonstrated  so  severall  wayes,  which  Longomontanus  sayd 


90  LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS. 

was  indemonstrabile.  And  though  now  they  begin  to  feare 
that  it  may  be  demonstrated,  yet  all  the  mathematicians  in 
the  University  of  Copenhagen  cannot  doe  it,  such  shallow 
artists  have  I  to  doe  withall.  If  any  of  our  London  ma- 
thematicians be  unwilling  or  unable  to  write  Latine,  let  them 

write  English,  or  the  catholicke  language  [a,  b,  c,  H &c.]  5 

and  let  me  alone  with  the  rest.  If  you  want  more  coppies 
of  my  paper,  and  Mr.  Hartlib  of  Duke's  Place  cannot  furnish 
you,  I  shall  send  you  as  many  as  you  desire ;  or  if  there  be 
anything  else  wherein  I  may  serve  you,  you  shall  allwayes 
find  me 

Your  assured  friend  and  servant, 

JOHN  PELL. 
To  his  much  esteemed  freend,  Mr.  John 

Leake,  at  his  house  by  the  Old  Swan 

in  Thames  Street  e,  London,  these  I 

pray. 


SIR  WILLIAM   PETTY  TO  JOHN  PELL. 

[MS.  Birch,  Brit.  Mus.  4279,  fol.  172,  Orig.] 

Paris,  November  8th,  1645. 

Sir, — Father  Mersen  his  desire  to  convey  this  inclosed  to 
you,  serves  me  for  an  happie  occasion,  to  expresse  my  thank- 
fulnes  for  the  good  of  that  acquaintance  with  Mr.  Hobs,  which 
your  letters  procured  me  for  by  his  meanes,  My  Lord  of 
Newcastle  and  your  good  friend  Sir  Charles  Candish  have 
beene  pleased  to  take  notice  of  mee ;  and  by  his  meanes  also 
I  became  acquainted  with  Father  Mersen,  a  man  who  seemes 
to  me  not  in  any  meane  degree  to  esteeme  you  and  your 
works,  and  who  wishes  your  studies  may  ever  succeede 
happily,  hoping  (as  others  also  doe)  that  the  world  shall 
receyve  light  and  benefitt  by  them.  Sir,  I  desire  you  not  to 
conceive  that  any  neglect  or  forgetfulnes  hath  caused  my  long 
silence,  for  the  often  speech  I  have  of  you  either  with  Sir  Charles, 
Mr.  Hobs,  &  Father  Mersen  (besides  the  courtesy  I  receyved 
from  you)  makes  me  sufficiently  to  remember  you.  But,  to 
speake  the  truth,  it  was  want  of  buisines  worthy  to  make  the 
subject  of  a  letter  of  16P  postage,  especially  since  Mr.  Hobbs 
served  you  in  procuring  the  demonstrations  of  other  french 
mathematicians.  I  could  wish  with  Sir  Charles  that  wee 
could  see  your  way  of  analyticks  abroad,  or  if  a  systeme  of 
the  whole  art  were  too  much  to  hope  for,  for  my  owne  part 


LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS.  91 

I  could  wish  wee  had  youre  Diophantus  which  was  ready  for 
the  presse  before  my  departure  from  you.  Those  rules  of 
algebra  (though  few)  which  you  gave  mee  and  exercise  have 
made  mee  able  to  doe  many  pretty  questions.  I  entend  to 
reade  no  authour  of  that  subject  untill  I  may  be  so  happie  to 
reade  something  of  yours.  Sir,  if  there  bee  anything  wherein 
I  might  serve  you,  I  desire  you  to  use 

Your  thankfull  friend  &  humble  servant, 

WILLIAM  PETTY. 


HENRY  POWER  TO  SIR  THOMAS  BROWNE. 

[MS.  Sloan.  Brit.  Mus.  No.  3418,  fol.  94.] 

Hallifax,  June  13th,  1646. 

Right  Worshipfull, — I  could  not  overslippe  those  kind 
respects,  and  faire  expressions  you  pleased  to  shew  towards 
me  in  Mr.  Smith's  letter,  without  the  returne  of  a  few  gratu- 
latory  lines.  The  presentment  whereof  I  cannot  count  a 
piece  of  presumption,  since  you  layd  me  the  foundation  to 
worke  upon.  I  cannott  but  really  thanke  you  for  the  com- 
munication of  your  opinion ;  I  shall  trace  your  directions,  by 
which  meanes  I  question  not  but  I  shall  attaine  to  the  utmost 
of  my  desires.  My  yeers  in  the  University  are  whole  up  to  a 
midle  bachelaur-shippe,  which  height  of  a  graduate  I  am 
sure  ought  to  speake  him  indefective  in  any  part  of  philo- 
sophy. Our  second  yeere  of  sophistry  is  always  taken  up  in 
physicall  contemplation  (without  perfect  knowledge  whereof 
no  cleere  passage  is  granted  to  any  in  the  commencement 
house),  and  I  hope  no  materiall  piece  then  passed  my  eie,  an 
extract  whereof  is  not  remanent  in  my  present  selfe.  Yet  I 
shall  (submitting  to  your  maturer  judgment)  review  the 
whole  body  of  philosophy,  especially  naturall.  The  pleasant- 
nesse  of  which  science  (had  not  your  desires  concurred)  might 
have  re-invited  me  to  that  study.  I  intended  to  have  scene 
Cambridge  a  moneth  since :  but  some  intervening  accidents 
still  quas'd  my  jorney:  and  now  you  know  that  supernaturall 
cause  which  prolongs  my  stay  here.  I  hope  the  heavynesse 
of  that  hand  will  shortly  be  removed,  and  our  colledge  re- 
pupill'd,  and  then  (God  willing)  I  will  increase  the  number. 
I  shall  waite  there  of  your  instructions :  what  physicall  in- 
stitutions you  please  to  appoint,  I  question  not  but  the 
University  affords ;  and  I  shall  be  ready  to  make  use  of  them, 
and  of  each  opportunity  the  weeke  affords,  wherin  I  may 


92  LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS. 

visit  you  by  a  paper-mercury.  If  (after  I  have  finished  the 
theoreticall  part  of  physick)  you  will  be  pleased  to  induct  me 
into  some  practicall  knowledge,  your  commands  shall  fetch 
me  up  any  time  to  Norwich ;  where  I  shall  be  very  glad  to 
weare  the  livery  of, 

Sir,  your  obliged  friend  and  servant, 

HENRY  POWER. 

Our  towne  can  furnish  you  with  very  small  news,  only  the 
death  of  some  of  your  acquaintance,  viz.  Mr.  Waterhouse  and 
Mr.  Sam.  Mitchell.  This  enclosed  is  from  my  father-in-law 
to  your  selfe :  if  your  occasions  will  permitt  the  returne  of 
a  few  lines  to  either  of  us  by  this  bearer,  wee  shall  be  very 
glad  to  accept  them. 


HENRY  POWER  TO  SIR  THOMAS  BROWNE. 

[MS.  Sloan.  Brit.  Mus.  3418,  fol.  92.] 

Right  Worshipfull, — The  subject  of  my  last  letter  being  so 
high  and  noble  a  piece  of  chymistry,  viz.  the  reindividualling 
of  an  incinerated  plant,  invites  mee  once  more  to  request  an 

experimentall of  it  from  yourselfe,  and  I  hope  you 

will  not  chide  my  importunity  in  this  petition,  or  be  angry  at 
my  so  frequent  knockings  at  youre  doore  to  obtaine  a  grant  of 
so  great  and  admirable  a  mystery.  'Tis  not  only  an  ocular 
demonstration  of  our  resurrection,  but  a  notable  illustration 
of  that  psychopanuchy  which  antiquity  so  generally  received, 
how  these  formes  of  ours  may  be  lulled  and  ly  asleepe  after 
the  separation  (closed  up  in  their  Ubis  by  a  surer  than 
Hermes  his  scale,)  untill  that  great  and  generall  day  when 
by  the  helpe  of  that  gentle  heat,  which  in  six  dayes  hatched 
the  world,  by  a  higher  chymistry  it  shall  be  resuscitated  into 
its  former  selfe  ;  suamque  arborem  inversam  in  continue  esse, 
et  operari,  iterata  praeservabit. 

The  secret  is  so  noble  and  admirable,  that  it  has  envited 
my  enquirys  into  divers  authors  and  chymicall  tractates, 
amongst  which  Quercita  and  Angelus  Salae  give  some  little 
hint  thereof,  but  so  obscurely  and  imperfectly  that  I  have  no 
more  hopes  to  be  ocularly  convinced,  through  their  prescrip- 
tions, then  to  be  experimentally  confirmed,  that  the  species  of 
an  incinerated  animal  may  be  encaskM  in  a  piece  of  winter 
chrystall,  as  some  other  mineralists  confidently  affirme. 
Alsted,  I  confesse,  in  his  Pyrotechnia,  more  cleerely  describes 
the  matter,  but  the  manner  of  experimenting  it  hee  utterly 


LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS.  93 

leaves  unmentioned.  Therefore  my  only  addresse  is  to  you, 
hoping  to  find  as  much  willingnesse  to  communicate,  as  ability 
to  evince  the  certainty  of  this  secret  to 

The  most  engaged  of  your  friends, 

HENRY  POWER. 
R.  Coll.  Cambridge, 

Feb.  10,  1647. 

PS. —  Sir,  this  enclosed  is  from  a  worthy  friend  of  myne 
who  hath  made  bold  upon  my  incitement  to  enwrappe  a  few 
lines  to  you,  if  you  please  to  repay  us  both  but  with  one 
single  answer,  it  will  not  only  evince  us  of  your  faire  accept- 
ance of  them,  but  shall  also  challenge  a  double  gratulatory 
as  a  due  debt,  in  counterpoise  and  recompence  thereof. 


WILLIAM  OUGHTRED  TO  MR.  GREATORIX. 

[MS.  Ashm.  394.] 

Aldbury,  Dec.  19th,  1652. 

Good  Mr.  Greatorix, — Give  leave  to  intreate  you  to  re- 
member my  service  to  my  good  friend  Mr.  Lilly,  and  to 
enquire  of  him  and  other  astronomers  about  London,  what 
they  have  observed  concerning  a  comet,  stella  crinita  non 
caudatci,  now  and  for  1 1  nightes  together  as  often  as  the  skie 
was  cleere,  in  manner  as  I  shall  describe.  Upon  Thursday, 
Dec:  9th,  I  first  saw  it,  neere  the  East,  about  7  of  the  clock 
at  night,  a  round  dim  light,  about  4  degrees  of  estimacioun 
from  the  head  of  the  staire  under  the  foote  of  Orion  westward ; 
the  diameter  of  it  seemed  to  be  16  inches;  upon  Saturday 
at  11  at  night  it  was  ascended  nere  the  shild  of  Orion, 
almost  as  a  right  line  through  both  the  shoulders,  so  that  the 
comet  and  they  were  about  an  equall  distance  asunder; 
then  it  went  upward  through  the  nose  of  the  bull,  till  upon 
Tuesday  night  it  was  close,  but  a  very  small  deale  westward 
to  the  lowest  star  of  the  Pleiades.  Upon  Wednesday  night 
it  wras  come  almost  as  high  as  the  foote  of  Perseus,  and  upon 
Thursday  night  it  was  scene  above  the  wing  of  that  foote  of 
Perseus  westward  higher  then  in  a  right  line,  through  the 
star  in  that  foote  and  the  wing,  and  almost  at  their  distance. 
The  present  Sunday,  while  I  am  writing,  it  is  come  within 
lesse  than  a  degree  of  Gorgon's  eye,  and  \  a  degree  to  the 
east  side.  The  motoun  decresethe  nightly,  and  so  doth  the 
diameter,  especially  for  these  latter  dayes,  being  now  become 
but  in  shew  not  past  halfe  so  big  as  at  the  first  appearance. 


94  LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC    SUBJECTS. 

You  shall  doe  me  a  favour  to  write  or  procure  to  be  written  to 
me  what  hath  byne  observed  by  the  astronomers  about  this 
celestiall  appearance,  and  what  judgement  they  give  of  it. 

Your  very  loving  friend, 

WILLIAM  OUGHTRED. 


H.  THORNDIKE   TO  JOHN  PELL. 

[MS.  Birch,  Brit.  Mus.  4279,  fol.  261.] 

December  23rd,  1652. 

Sir, — Mr.  Tovey  is  gone  out  of  towne  and  hath  left  mee 
to  dispose  of  Mr.  Warner's  papers,  which  I  would  have  had 
done  himselfe.  I  have  therefore  sent  you  whatsoever  I  can 
conceive  to  concerne  the  canon :  beeing,  (1)  The  canon  itselfe 
from  1  to  100,000.  (2)  A  collection  of  papers  sowed  together, 
concerning  (I  suppose)  the  construction  and  use  of  it,  in- 
titled  on  the  front  Tabularia.  (3)  Papers  of  Interest  and  the 
questions  of  it,  sowed  together.  (4)  A  peece  by  itselfe  of 
about  halfe  a  quire,  beginning  with,  "  Any  ratio  being  given." 
(5)  The  canon  from  1  to  10,000.  (6)  A  foule  copy  of  the 
same,  in  which  are  bound  up  other  loose  papers  concerning 
the  subject.  (7)  Foule  papers  in  nine  bundles,  which  seeme 
to  be  the  first  copy  of  the  large  canon.  And  my  request  to 
you  is,  first  that  you  will  take  your  own  time  to  peruse  them, 
in  order  to  a  resolution  of  publishing  them,  which,  upon 
perusing  them,  I  hope  you  will  declare :  and  then  in  con- 
sideration of  common  casualties,  and  the  uncertainty  of 
my  continuing  where  you  are,  that  you  will  certify  mee  of 
the  receit  of  the  particulares.  Which  will  bee  very  briefly 
done,  if  you  think  fit  to  sende  mee  this  backe,  with  your 
name  subscribed  to  a  line  signifying  the  receite  of  them. 
And  here,  Sir,  my  best  love  and  service  recommended,  I  take 
leave,  and  remaine,  Sir, 

Your  very  loving  freind  to  serve  you, 

H.  THORNDIKE*. 

*  From  a  note  by  Pell,  at  the  back  of  this  letter,  it  appears  that  the  project  of 
printing  Warner's  works  was  relinquished  on  account  of  the  incompleteness  of 
his  papers. 


LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS.  95 

LIST  OF  MR.  WARNER'S  PAPERS. 

[MS.  Birch,  Brit.  Mus.  4394,  fol.  106.] 

An  inventorie  of  the  papers  of  Mr.  Warner. 

1.  A  tract  of  exchanges  in  folio,  containing  eleven  leaves, 
Anglice. 

2.  Varronis  sententia  de  tympanis  illustrata,  tribus  foliis. 

3.  A  treatise  of  coines. 

4.  Another  of  the  same. 

5.  A  tract  about  ingotts. 

6.  Another  of  the  same. 

7.  Opus  Saturninum. 

8.  A  bundle   containing  thirty   papers   intituled   "  Opus 
Joviale." 

9.  A  small  bundle   intituled  "  Observationes  Westmonas- 
terienses." 

10.  A  bundle  intituled  "Monetary/5 

1 1 .  A  bundle   intituled   ee  Generall   rules   of  Warre   and 
Fortification  observed  by  the  experience  of  Prichard  Han- 
sard." 

12.  Six  tracts  sewed  together  intituled  "  Tabularia." 

13.  The  faire  copy  of  a  canon  of  100,000  logarithmes. 

14.  Canones  analogici  originalis. 

15.  Schedae  miscellaneae. 

16.  A  bundle  intituled  "  Analogicks." 

17.  De  monetarum  homonimicarum  aequivalentia. 

18.  De  resectione  spatii. 

19.  A  treatise  sic  incipiens  "Any  ratio  being  given." 

20.  A  treatise  thus  beginning  "  Of  that  columne." 

21.  A  bundle  "  de  refractione  defmitiones." 

22.  A  bundle  intituled  "  Mr.  Protheroe." 

23.  A  bundle  intituled  "  Sir  William  Beccher." 

December  14th,  166?.  Received  the  abovesaid  papers 
from  Dr.  Thorndyke,  which  I  promise  to  restore  upon  de- 
mand— JOHN  COLLINS. 


ANTHONY  THOMPSON  TO  JOHN  PELL. 

[MS.  Birch.  Brit.  Mus.  4279,  fol.  259,  Orig.] 

November  22nd,  1658. 

Mr.  Pell, — There  is  this  day  a  meeting  to  bee  in  the  Moore 
Feilds  of  some  mathematicall  freinds  (as  you  know  the 
custome  hath  beene)  there  will  bee  Mr.  Rook  and  Mr.  Wrenn, 


96  LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS. 

my  Lord  Brunkerd,  Sir  Pauel  Neale,  Dr.  Goddard,  Dr. 
Scarburow,  &c.  I  had  notice  the  last  night  of  your  being  in 
towne  from  some  of  the  gentellmen  now  named;  and  of  there 
desire  to  injoy  your  company ;  their  will  bee  no  such  number 
as  you  usually  have  scene  at  such  meetinges  ;  1 2  is  the 
number  invited.  Sir,  I  hope  you  will  excuse  the  short 
warning,  for  it  was  shorte  to  mee  *. 

Yours  to  serve  you, 

ANTHONY  THOMPSON. 


PELL'S  RELATION  OF  A  MEETING  WITH 
HOBBES. 

[MS.  Birch,  Brit.  Mus.  4425,  fol.  204,  Orig.] 

Easter  Munday,  March  31,  1662. 

This  morning  Mr.  Thomas  Hobbesf  met  me  in  the  Strand, 
and  led  me  back  to  Salisbury  house,  where  he  brought  me 
into  his  chamber,  and  there  shewed  me  his  construction  of 
that  Probleme,  which  he  said  he  had  solved,  namely  the 
Doubling  of  a  Cube.  He  then  told  me,  that  Vicount  Brounker 

*  I  insert  this  letter  because  it  is  a  curious  memorial  of  the  Royal  Society  in 
embryo.  It  is  generally  stated,  that  Dr.  Goddard's  society  terminated  on  the 
foundation  of  the  one  at  Oxford,  but  this  letter  proves  the  contrary.  As  it  may 
be  interesting  to  the  present  members  of  the  Royal  Society,  I  insert  here  a  copy 
of  the  original  regulations  of  the  Society  at  Oxford,  from  MS.  No.  1810  in  the 
Ashmolean  Museum : — 

October  23rd,  1651,  Order'd— 

1  That  no  man  be  admitted  but  with  the  consent  of  the  major  part  of  the 
company. 

2.  That  the  votes  for  admission  (to  the  intent  they  may  be  free  and  without 
prejudice)   be  given  in  secret ;    affirmations  by  blanks, — negatives  by  printed 
papers  put  into  the  box. 

3.  That  every  man's  admission  be  concluded  the  next  day  after  it  is  proposed ; 
so  as  at  the  passing  of  it,  there  be  at  the  least  eleven  present. 

4.  That  every  one  pay  for  his  admission  an  equal  share  to  the  money  in  stock, 
and  two-third  parts  of  it  for  the  instruments  in  stock,  answerable  to  the  number 
of  the  company. 

5.  If  any  of  the  company  (being  resident  in  the  University)  do  willingly  absent 
himself  from  the  weekly  meeting,  without  speciall  occasion,  by  the  space  of  six 
weeks  together,  he  shall  be  reputed  to  have  left  the  company,  his  name  from 
thenceforth  to  be  left  out  of  the  catalogue. 

6.  That  if  any  man  doe  not  duly  upon  the  day  appoynted  performe  such  exer- 
cise or  bring  in  such  experiment  as  shall  be  appoynted  for  that  day,  or  in  case  of 
necessity  provide  that  the  course  be  supplyed  by  another,  he  shall  forfeit  to  the 
use  of  the  company  for  his  default  2s.  6d.,  and  shall  performe  his  task  notwith- 
standing within  such  reasonable  time  as  the  company  shall  appoynt. 

7.  That  one  man's  fault  shall  not  (as  formerly)  be  any  excuse  for  him  that  was 
to  succeed  the  next  day,  but  the  course  shall  goe  on. 

8.  That  the  time  of  meeting  be  every  Thursday  before  two  of  the  clock. 

[fThis  Mr.  Hobbes  says' he  was  born  April  5,  1588.] 


LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS.  97 

was  writing  against  him.  "  But/5  said  he,  f(  I  have  written  a 
confirmation  and  illustration  of  my  demonstration,  and 
to-morrow  I  intend  to  send  it  to  the  presse,  that  with  the 
next  opportunity  I  may  send  printed  coppies  to  transmarine 
mathematicians,  craving  their  censure  of  it.  On  this  side  of 
the  sea/5  said  he,  "I  shall  hope  to  have  your  approbation  of 
it."  I  answered  that  I  was  then  busy,  and  could  not  per- 
suade myself  to  pronounce  of  any  such  question  before  I  had 
very  thoroughly  considered  it  at  leysure  in  my  owne  chamber. 
Whereupon  he  gave  me  these  two  papers,  bidding  me  take 
as  much  time  as  I  pleased.  Well,  said  I,  if  your  work 
seeme  true  to  mee,  T  shall  not  be  afraid  to  tell  the  world  so : 
but  if  I  find  it  false,  you  will  be  content  that  I  tell  you  so ; 
but  privately,  seeing  you  have  onely  thus  privately  desired 
my  opinion  of  it.  "  Yes,"  said  he,  "  I  shall  be  content,  and 
thanke  you  too.  But,  I  pray  you,  do  not  dispute  against 
my  construction,  but  shew  me  the  fault  of  my  demonstration, 
if  you  finde  any."  Thus  we  then  parted,  I  leaving  him  at 
Salisbury  house,  and  returning  home. 


THOMAS  BRANCKER  TO  JOHN  PELL. 

[MS.  Birch,  Brit.  Mus.  4278,  fol.  36,  Orig.] 

Tottenham,  May  9th,  1666. 

Revered  Sir, — I  understand  by  Mr.  Collins  that  you  had 
my  last,  but  are,  as  you  had  reason,  offended  at  Mr.  Pittes 
presumption.  Little  souls  have  little  designs ;  what  his  was, 
I  know  not,  but  I  thought  it  not  at  present  convenient  to  do 
any  more  than  I  did,  viz :  take  notice  that  the  letters  were 
opened  and  enquire  by  whom.  However,  I  durst  not  con- 
ceal it.  The  man  is  I  hope  very  fair ;  as  to  all  other  matters 
wherein  I  have  dealt  with  him  I  have  found  him  so.  Possibly 
he  was  hasty  to  see  what  assistance  you  were  pleased  to 
afford  us.  I  am  thus  tedious  about  him,  because  I  would 
fain  entreat  for  him  to  procure  his  pardon.  What  I  wrote  in 
my  last  concerning  the  book,  I  again  refer  to  your  consider- 
ation, for  as  much  as  my  design  herein  I  hope  is  not  sordid 
or  mean ;  but  the  truest  advantage  that  may  be  gained  to  the 
argument.  I  have  now  only  to  acquaint  you  that  they  have 
in  hand  the  table.  They  omitte  the  first  leafe,  according 
what  I  hinted  in  my  last  to  yourselfe  about  it.  Only  whereas 
Rhonius  ordered  the  incomposits  to  be  printed  in  a  larger 
character  when  they  first  appear  in  the  table,  viz  :  where  they 

H 


)l 


98  LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS. 

were  roots ;  I  have  altered  it  thus,  to  put  a  rule  either  over 
or  under  the  number,  and  let  it  be  of  the  same  body  with  the 
rest.  For  I  presume  the  end  of  that  different  character  was 
only  to  make  it  visible,  and  I  conceive  this  makes  it  more 
visible  and  distinct,  and  besides  it  avoides  that  unhandsome 
intrenchment  upon  the  page  which  you  will  find  in  the  Dutch 
edition.  But  these  things  you  will  better  observe  when  the 
first  sheet  comes  to  your  hands,  which  I  hope  you  will  find 
well  done.  They  goe  on  slowly,  because  the  short  rules 
between  the  descending  parallels  are  very  chargeable,  and 
therefore  they  have  no  more  than  will  compose  \  a  sheet  atk 
once ;  so  that  they  do  but  one  whole  sheet  in  a  fortnight. 
I  should  be  very  glad  to  wait  on  you  at  London,  could  the~ 
health  of  that  place  invite  you  thither.  In  the  mean  time,  I 
beg  your  candid  interpretation  of  anything  that  comes  from 
me  in  word  or  deed  as  to  this  matter,  for  as  much  as,  if  I  know 
my  own  inclination,  of  all  vices  I  am  not  disposed  to  deceit 
or  impudence,  and  in  this  particular  I  have  very  cogent 
obligations  to  the  contrary.  I  had  written  sooner  but  that  I 
was  confined  to  my  chamber  by  an  ague,  which,  by  God's 
goodnes,  is  now  removed,  not  without  some  small  relishes  of 
it,  which  I  hope  will  passe  away.  It's  scarce  pertinent  to 
tell  you  that  there  was  a  report  about  town  that  you  had  left 
this  world  for  a  better.  Your  own  lines  to  Mr.  Collins  are  a 
solid  refutation.  God  Almighty  continue  your  health  and 
opportunityes  to  serve  his  glory,  'tis  the  prayer  of,  Sir, 
Your  ever  obliged  to  honour  and  serve  you, 

THO:  BBANCKEB. 


THOMAS  BRANCKER  TO  JOHN  PELL. 

[MS.  Birch,  Brit.  Mus.  4278,  fol.  38,  Orig.] 

Tottenham,  June  2 1st,  1666. 

Honoured  Sir, — By  the  hands  of  Mr.  Collins  I  received 
your  last  on  Friday,  viz :  4  leaves  of  copy  for  the  sheet  P ; 
but  without  any  note  for  direction  for  printing  therof,  or  by 
way  of  answere  to  anything  of  my  last.  This  I  only  advertise 
you  of  that,  if  any  such  letter  were  intended,  you  may  under- 
stand it  was  casually  excluded  the  covert.  I  humbly  thank 
you  for  the  pains  and  accuracy  in  those  papers,  and  I  hope 
further  directions  for  printing  them  are  not  altogether  neces- 
sary. I  have  transcribed  them  without  any  alteration,  unlesse 
so  far  as  was  needfull  to  conform  it  to  the  marks  wherein  the 


LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS.  99 

presse  differs  from  your  writing.  They  will  this  day  or  to 
morrow  have  done  with  the  table  (as  I  suppose)  and  will  be 
wholly  imployed  in  the  body  of  the  book  again  as  the  med- 
dling with  the  table.  Although  readers  and  printers  are  all 
very  willing  to  see  it  out ;  yet,  whenever  you  please,  the  presse 
shall  be  perfectly  stop't  to  attend  you.  I  shall  from  time  to 
time  acquaint  you  where  they  be,  and  when  they  want  further 
help,  but  no  such  addresses  are  intended  to  streighten  you  in 
your  conveniencyes.  If  you  please  to  put  a  title  to  the  table, 
they  may  print  that  and  the  first  leafe  of  the  table,  which  I 
shall  presently  fall  on  proving  once  more,  unles  you  have  any 
body  that  can  and  will  ease  me  and  shew  me  the  errata,  which 
I  hope  will  not  be  very  many.  My  last  tedious  letter  gave 
you  an  account  of  what  I  then  thought  necessary,  nor  have  I 
now  any  thing  else  to  adde  thereabout.  I  beg  your  pardon 
for  having  been  an  occasion  of  so  great  a  divertisement  to 
you,  wherein  if  I  did  not  fear  I  had  allready  intrenched  on 
your  other  occasions,  I  should  have  adventured  to  beg  your 
assistance  for  generall  direction  in  these  studyes,  and  I  have 
fancyed  that  2  or  3  generall  fundamentall  notions  would  lend 
me  no  small  light,  untill  God  shall  please  to  grant  me  the 
happinesse  of  further  attendance  on  you.  And  I  wish  I  might 
be  as  meet  for  future  as  I  am  thankfull  for  past  communica- 
tions. In  the  mean  time  I  must  wait  for  an  opportunity  to 
serve  you  to  my  power.  I  commit  you  to  God's  protection. 
Yours  ever  obliged  to  honour  and  serve  you, 

THO:  BRANCKEB. 


THOMAS  BRANCKER  TO  JOHN  PELL. 

[MS.  Birch,  Brit.  Mus.  4278,  fol.  40,  Orig.] 

Tottenham,  July  6th,  1666. 

Honoured  Sir, — Your  last  of  July  2  came  to  me  July  5.  I 
return  humble  thanks  for  the  sheet  therein  enclosed.  I  have 
copyed  it  and  purpose  tomorrow  morning  to  send  to  the  press. 
The  labour  and  time  which  the  processe  and  copyes  therof 
required  must  needs  have  been  great,  and  much  aggravates 
your  bounty  in  the  communication.  And  I  cannot  but,  upon 
occasion  herof,  adventure  to  expresse  what  hath  been  much 
in  my  thoughts  before.  I  am  very  sensible  what  an  occasion 
of  trouble  to  you  this  my  imperfect  undertaking  hath  proved. 
Which  yet  I  can  not  say  I  repent  of,  because  I  can  not  ques- 
tion a  considerable  advantage  to  be  reaped  thereby  by  all  in- 

H  2 


100  LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS. 

telligent  readers,  and  particularly  because  you  have  conde- 
scended not  only  to  permission  but  favourable  assistance :  for 
which  I  dayly  look  on  myselfe  (as  well  as  thousands  others) 
as  obliged  to  all  gratefull  acknowledgement  as  far  as  my  pre- 
sent or  future  capacity  may  reach.  My  desire  and  serious 
study  shal  be  to  serve  your  interest,  as  far  as  I  may  understand 
it,  and  be  accepted  in  my  endeavours.  I  know  the  notions 
you  bestow  upon  the  treatise  are  not  valuable  even  by  Jewells, 
but  yet  I  see  nothing  litle  or  sordid  in  it  for  you  to  accept  of 
some  gratuity,  although  incomparably  beneath  the  obligation 
you  have  laid  upon  us.  If  I  might  be  so  bold  my  request 
would  be  to  have  from  you  a  hint  of  your  thoughts  concern- 
ing it.  'Tis  true  Mr.  Collins  and  I  have  discoursed  hereabout, 
but  he  is  not  nor  shal  be  in  the  least  acquainted  with  the  open 
proposall  which  my  confidence  of  your  pardon  makes.  Whe- 
ther he  hath  in  his  letters  anything  that  looks  this  way  I  know 
not,  but  the  full  satisfaction  I  have  of  my  own  integrity  to 
endeavour  your  truest  service  puts  me  on  the  adventure.  And 
methinks  it  is  much  more  respectfull  to  your  goodnesse  to  be 
open  and  sincere,  than  either  to  expresse  myselfe  tenderly 
and  obscurely,  or,  which  is  worse,  to  be  altogether  ignorant  of 
what  behaviour  may  become  us  in  this  present  case.  My 
bookseller  I  know  will  not  be  very  unmannerly  herin :  and 
I  would  deal  with  him  as  from  my  own  motion  did  I  know 
what  were  proper,  but  he  shall  never  know  from  me  directly 
or  indirectly  that  I  ever  scribbled  a  syllable  about  the  affair. 
You  need  not  fear  any  inconveniency  in  being  free  to  me  in 
this  matter  even  as  to  your  son.  I  am  not  so  great  a  stranger 
to  morality  or  conscience  as  to  use  such  forward  expressions, 
had  I  not  uprightnesse  to  support  them.  And,  although  I 
may  not  despair  of  being  an  incomparable  gainer  by  any 
service  I  can  undertake  for  you,  yet  I  conceive  I  am  not 
herin  selfish  beyond  what  reverence  and  gratitude  allow  me. 
But  if  any  thing  in  the  premises  be  any  way  peccant  and 
offensive,  I  submit  to  your  correction  and  it  shall  be,  if  you 
please,  as  if  it  were  unwritten.  As  for  the  book,  the  com- 
positor hath  made  your  last  papers  fill  a  great  deal  of  room, 
something  of  the  paper  of  March  5  running  into  R,  which 
loose  print  they  ever  told  me  their  letters  would  needs  require. 
I  have  written  out  the  primes  to  above  30000,  in  the  first  10M 
I  find  1227  (counting  1  for  a  prime,  which  possibly  Guld: 
omitted,  and  so  made  1226),  in  the  2d  xM  3031,  in  the  3rd 
xM  983,  in  the  30000,  3241.  But  my  purpose  is  to  prove 
the  whole  table  of  incomposits  again  before  I  finish  this  ca- 
talogue. Mr.  Collins  hath  lent  me  Kinckhuysen's  Conicks 
(in  Low  Dutch)  and  Mydorgius,  on  which  I  spend  some  time 


LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS.  101 

about  parabolicall  draughts.  If  you  please  you  may  now 
keep  a  week  or  more  before  the  press,  but  I  shall  undertake 
that  it  shall  attend  your  leisure.  I  do  not  find  I  have  order 
in  your  last  to  proceed  to  the  xxix.  probl :  and  therefore  hope 
to  see  your  directions.  I  fear  you  give  yourselfe  the  trouble 
to  copy  verbatim  what  you  send  me.  I  conceiv  you  might 
adventure  to  send  me  your  only  accurate  draughts,  and  ease 
yourselfe  of  that  labour,  keeping  the  notions  by  you  possibly 
in  some  other  method.  Begging  your  pardon  and  continu- 
ance of  undeserved  favours,  I  commit  you  to  God's  care  and 
protection. 

Yours  ever  to  honour  and  serve  you, 

;T»Ho:  BBANCKER. 


CHRISTOPHER  SAWTELL  TO  WILLIAM  LILLY. 

[MS.  Ashm.  Oxon.  423,  Orig.] 

Waymouth,  August  6th,  1666. 

Mr.  Lilly, — I  wrote  to  you  the  18th  of  the  former  month 
concerning  the  wonderfull  motion  of  the  tide  as  it  was  care- 
fully here  observed  for  4  hours  time,  viz.  July  l?th,  from 
about  10  in  the  morning  untill  2  in  the  afternoone.  I  also 
wrote  the  same  to  the  Post-office  in  London  ;  notwithstand- 
ing which,  it  was  put  into  the  printed  intelligence  in  one 
manner,  and  in  the  Gazette  in  another  manner,  and  neyther 
of  them  aneere  the  truth,  and  for  what  eyther  reason  or  po- 
licie  I  cannot  imagine,  but  made  me  to  be  derided  here,  until 
I  shewed  a  coppy  to  many  of  what  I  wrote  them  to  London ; 
since  which  they  reply  if  they  print  one  false  that  is  so  won- 
derfull, how  many  us  believe  the  rest,  &c.  Sir,  I  intreated 
you  by  my  letter  to  have  given  me  a  few  lines  in  answer  that 
you  had  received  mine,  but  to  this  morning  I  have  not  re- 
ceived any,  which  makes  me  doubt  that  you  have  not  received 
mine,  or  else  that  you  doubted  the  truth,  or  that  it  was  not 
of  any  worth.  If  it  came  not  to  your  hand,  pray  be  pleased 
by  a  few  lines  to  give  me  notice  and  I  shall  give  you  (if  you 
desire  it)  a  very  true,  sure,  and  punctuall  account  of  it,  or  in 
any  particular  thing  or  accident  that  you  shall  require  of  it. 
If  you  doubted  the  truth  I'll  assure  you  that  to  what  I  wrote 
you  ther  is  not  a  title  false,  I  am  very  confident,  viz.  that  the 
sea  did  ebb  and  flow  seven  times  in  four  hours  time ;  with 
the  rest  of  particulars  writen  you,  to  which  a  clowde,  as  it 
were,  of  witnesses  will  appeare ;  that  there  were  many  more 


102  LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS. 

ebbings  and  flowings  it  is  probable  to  be  true  by  the  report 
of  many ;  which  say  that  the  sea  did  soe  all  the  morning,  and 
that  it  did  soe  likewise  againe  in  the  evening,  but  they  say 
that  this  was  not  so  violent ;  but  this  4  houres  time  that  I 
gave  you  account  off  was  as  I  have  said,  carefully  observed 
by  so  many  and  that  of  the  chiefest  mariners,  merchants,  and 
other  gentlemen,  as  well  as  other  sorts  of  people,  both  men 
and  weomen,  one  friend  calling  and  sending  for  another,  that 
to  me  it  seemes  an  absurdity  in  the  least  to  doubt  the  truth ; 
the  chiefe  occation  of  observation  being  the  extreame  violence 
of  it,  one  wherof  I  heard  being  in  house,  being  talking  with 
one,  we  had  much  pitty  for  a  ketch  there  riding  in  the  road, 
we  thinking  of  a  very  great  and  suddent  storme  of  wind,  but 
Id.ckiu.g  out,of  ;dgares  -found  noe  wind  att  alle,  but  saw  the  sea 
at  a  distance  full  of  ravelling  waves  with  much  noyes.  If  not 
0,^  svori;K  to.ygii,  jiray  take  the  will  for  the  deed.  I  aymed  at 
the  'best.  '  The  tiling  to  all  persons  of  this  town  was  and  still 
is  wonderfull,  and  I  thought  it  worthy  of  publique  note,  to 
which  end  I  sent  it  to  London  preferring  you  before  Mr. 
Gadbury,  who  otherwise  had  had  the  account.  However, 
Sir,  if  you  will  not  afford  me  no  other  account  of  it,  you  let 
me  begg  you  to  give  me  a  few  lines  that  you  have  received 
mine,  that  I  may  know  that  it  came  to  your  hand ;  and  if  by 
writing  so  presumptuously  to  you,  strangers  to  each  other,  I 
have  offended  you,  pray  pardon  me ;  it  is  but  the  second  of- 
fence ;  I  hope  I  then  shall  not  committ  the  third :  yet  in  the 
meane  while  shall  remaine,  Sir, 

Your  friend  in  what  I  may, 
CHRISTOPHER  SAWTELL. 

For  Mr.  William  Lilly,  Astrologer,  at  the 
corner-house,  over  against  Strand-bridge, 
these,  in  London.  Post  paid,  3d. 


THOMAS  BRANCKER  TO  JOHN  PELL. 

[MS.  Birch,  Brit.  Mus.  4278,  fol.  41,  Orig.] 

Tottenham,  August  17th,  1666. 

Much  honoured  Sir, — I  conceived  it  unnecessary  to  trouble 
you  with  any  line  from  me  since  the  reciept  of  your  last  sheet, 
untill  I  could  return  it  or  part  of  it  in  print.  This  is  now 
done,  and  you  may  please  to  send  to  Badiley  for  a  sheet  which 
I  presume  my  bookseller  will  send  on  Munday.  In  it  the 
fractions  are  very  much  amended.  Mr.  Collins  tells  me  that 


LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS.  103 

now  they  say  if  I  had  blamed  them,  they  might  have  been 
corrected  before.  But  as  I  have  formerly  written,  I  found 
fault  at  the  first  fraction  that  ever  they  printed  and  afterwards 
too.  I  conceiv  they  were  not  then  so  possessed  with  suffi- 
cient hopes  of  advantage  so  as  to  put  them  on  the  charge  of 
new  stamps,  the  procuring  of  which  hath  made  this  delay.  I 
am  now  most  taken  up  with  making  a  catalogue  of  the  errata 
in  the  table  of  incomp.  which  is  necessary  to  be  done  before 
~~the  catalogue  of  the  incomposits  themselves  can  be  truly 
made.  Sir,  I  return  you  my  humble  thanks  for  your  candid 
acceptance  of  any  part  of  my  behaviour  towards  you  in  this 
businesse,  of  which  my  Lord  Brereton  hath  been  pleased  to 
give  me  an  hint.  May  there  be  anything  of  another  nature, 
I  shall  thankfully  accept  of  your  admonitions,  and,  in  a  word, 
truly  serve  all  your  interest.  We  now  hope  for  further  di- 
rections from  you  at  your  next  conveniency.  At  present  you 
are  no  further  interrupted  by 

Yours,  ever  obliged  to  honour  and  serve  you, 

THO:  BBANCKER. 


JOHN  PELL  TO  MOSES  PIT. 

[MS.  Birch,  4279,  fol.  183,  Original  draft.] 

Brereton,  June  3rd,  1668. 

Sir, — Yours  of  May  28  came  to  my  hands  May  30.  Mun- 
day  June  1,  I  sent  a  messenger  to  Newcastle,  who  brought 
me  from  you  Mr.  Brancker's  new  book,  more  costly  bound 
than  I  desired.  I  have  turned  it  over,  and  finde  it  no  way 
imperfect ;  no  sheet  deficient,  missfolded  or  missplaced.  But 
the  great  number  of  press  faults  keepes  me  from  writing  to 
you  for  coppies  for  my  friends,  because  I  suppose  they  had 
rather  tarry  till  they  may  have  coppies  corrected  by  my  hand 
throughout. 

Your  superscription,  both  of  your  letter  and  of  the  book, 
would  have  startled  me,  if  I  had  been  farr  from  this  place. 
For  in  both  you  say  John  Lord  Brereton,  as  if  William  Lord 
Brereton  were  dead  and  the  title  were  fallen  to  his  eldest 
sonne,  whose  name  is  John.  But  since  yours,  we  have  heere 
received  letters  from  the  father,  by  which  we  are  assured  that 
he  is  in  health,  and  intends  to  begin  his  journey  hitherward 
upon  Friday  June  5,  about  the  time  that  this  may  come  to 
your  hands.  I  hope  his  Lordship  will  bring  one  of  Deane 
Wilkins  his  bookes  with  him ;  or  at  least  will  be  able  to  de- 


104  LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS. 

scribe  it  so  to  me,  that  I  may  guess  of  what  bulk  it  is,  and 
whether  it  be  fit  to  binde  blank  leaves  in  part  of  it.  And 
therefore  I  doe  not  now  call  for  the  coppy  which  you  say  the 
Deane  hath  left  in  sheets  in  your  hands  for  me.  Your  care 
will  preserve  it  entire,  cleane  and  safe  for 

Your  assured  freind, 

JOHN  PELL. 

For  Mr.  Moses  Pit,  a  stationer  at  the 
White  Hart  in  Little  Britaine. 


HENRY  OLDENBURGH  TO  LORD  BRERETON. 

[MS.  Birch,  4280,  fol.  42,  Orig.] 

London,  Sept.  22nd,  1668. 

My  Lord, — 1  pray  your  Lordship  to  accept  of  the  enclosed 
print,  which  contains  a  tacit  confutacion  of  the  late  French 
pretended  miracle,  said  to  be  done  in  a  village  near  Saumur ; 
the  narrative  of  which  was  sent  hither  in  French,  and  here 
translated  and  printed  in  English.  I  suppose  your  lordship 
hath  heard  of  it,  how  that  Our  Saviour  appear'd,  by  way  of  a 
picture  on  the  altar,  at  the  time  of  the  masse,  for  a  quarter 
of  an  houre,  many  people  seeing  it  with  astonishment,  which 
afterwards  was  examined  by  the  Bishop  of  Angiers,  and  de- 
clared for  a  miracle  in  print.  I  have  sent  a  copy  of  these 
transactions  to  my  correspondent  at  Paris,  a  true  Huguenot, 
with  a  desire  to  render  the  first  head  of  this  book  French, 
and  to  send  it  to  the  place  where  that  appearance  of  Our 
Saviour  was  made,  to  undeceive,  if  possible,  the  poor  people, 
and  to  discover  the  cheat  of  those  clergymen,  that  would 
father  a  lye  upon  their  God. 

I  saw  yesternight  a  cart  leaden  with  at  least  600  bricks, 
whereof  each  by  weight  weighed  above  four  pounds,  drawn 
by  one  horse  in  an  uneven  and  ascending  way,  by  a  new  con- 
trivance, which  avoydeth  rubbing  much  more  than  ordinary 
carts.  It  has  been  devised,  as  I  mentioned  formerly,  by  the 
concurrence  of  persons  of  several  nations ;  and  the  patent  of 
them  is  given  in  divers  contry's ;  here,  to  the  Duke  of  Mon- 
mouth,  and  to  Sir  EUis  Leyton  (as  hemself  told  me),  and  at 
Paris  to  some  great  persons ;  as  also  in  Flanders.  In  the 


LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS.  105 

mean  time,  our  mathematicall  mechanicians  doe  not  want  ex- 
ceptions against  the  extraordinarines  of  the  contrivance. 

******** 
Your  Lordship's  very  humble  and  faithful  servant, 

H.  O. 

For  the  Right  Honourable  the  Lord  Brereton 
at  Brereton  in  Cheshire.     Stonebagg. 

P.S.  Mr.  Hook  presents  his  humble  service  to  your  Lord- 
ship, and  begs  the  favor  to  send  him  some  account  of  the 
causeway  found  so  deep  under  ground,  and  of  what  shels  are 
found  in  stones,  or  ligna  fossilia  &c.  Whereby  you  will 
much  oblige  him. 


MICHAEL  DARY  TO  JOHN  COLLINS. 

[MS.  Birch,  4425,  fol.  54,  r°.  Orig.] 

The  equation  is  this : — 

+  V4  +  8  V3  -  24  y9  4-  104  y  —  676  =  0 

Mr.  Collins, — I  have  beene  lately  trying  to  break  biqua- 
dratique  equations  into  two  quadratique  ones,  and  I  have 
effected  my  purpose  in  a  great  many,  some  by  the  aliquote 
parts,  and  some  by  the  cubicall  mant,  but  this  soure  crabb  I 
cannot  deale  with  by  no  method,  &c. 

Your  servant, 

MICH  :  DARY. 
Tower,  the  8th  Febr:  1674-5. 


NOTE  ON  THE  SOLVING  EQUATIONS,  BY  JOHN 

PELL. 

[MS.  Birch,  Brit.  Mus.  4432,  fol.  26,  Orig.] 

May  20,  1675. 

Mr.  Dary  only  solved  cubick  equations  by  ayd  of  a  qua- 
dratick  equation  in  a  particular  case,  not  knowing  the  use  of 
both  the  rootes  of  his  quadratick  equation;  but  Collins 
knowing  how  to  take  away  two  tearmes  in  any  equation 
hath  a  different  generall  method  of  solving  these  and  higher 


106 


LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS. 


equations  by  ayd  of  logmes,  or  by  his  little  table  of  continuall 
proportionalls  for  interest,  whereby  he  finds  two  rootes  at  a 
time,  and  depresseth  the  equation  two  degrees.  Whereas 
Deschartes  cubick  equation  only  serveth  to  breake  a  biqua- 
dratick  equation  into  two  quadratick  ones,  \vhereof  the  rootes 
are  afterwards  to  be  found,  and  a  paire  of  rootes  being  by 
Collins  method  alwaies  found,  or  two  impossible  ones  re- 
mooved  (by  ayd  of  the  rootes  of  pure  powers  and  adfected 
equations)  one  degree  lower  than  that  proposed,  it  follows 
that  solid  problems  are  effected  by  plaine  geometry,  et  pro- 
blema  Deliacum  tandem  feliciter  expugnatum.  Deo  gloria  ! 


JOHN  COLLINS  TO  MR.  OLDENBURGH. 

[MS.  Birch,  Brit.  Mus.  4432,  fol.  25.] 

May  25,  1675. 

Sir,  —  Be  pleased  to  intreate  the  learned  and  worthy  Mr. 
Tschirnhaus,  to  make  a  construction  by  a  circle  for  finding  a 
roote  of  either  of  these  equations,  which  have  the  conditions 
he  requires 

a  a  a—  3  a  a  +  3  a—  1=N 


In  which  if  a  roote  be 


Or  to  this  equation 
a# 
In  which  if  a  roote  be 


N  is 


N  is 


0 
1 

8 

27 
64 


8 

27 

64 

125 

216 


Which  are  the   cubes 

of  numbers  less  than 

the  roote  by  unit. 


Which  are  the  cubes 
of  numbers  greater 
than  the  roote  by  unit. 


And  when  he  hathe  demonstrated  the  same  and  illustrated 
the  worke  by  examples  in  numbers  he  hath  solved  the  Del- 
phick  probleme  with  great  renowne,  and  intreate  him  to  make 
the  same  publick  in  the  Transactions,  the  consequence  of  it 
will  be  that  he  hathe  taken  away  the  two  first  or  highest 
tearmes  in  these  equations,  which  renders  it  probable  that 
the  like  may  be  done  in  other  and  higher  equations,  and 
consequently  the  difficulty  that  hath  hitherto  been  crux  in- 
genii  will  be  removed  ;  this  is  the  thing  most  wanting  in  ma- 
thematicks,  and  if  he  doth  this,  'tis  that  I  so  much  aspire  after, 


LETTERS  ON  SCIENTIFIC  SUBJECTS.  107 

and  have  methinks  a  prospect  of  methods  that  I  hope  will 
not  faile  in  the  attainment,  consisting  of  two  branches.  The 
one  to  make  such  habitudes  or  co-efficients  relating  to  two 
tearmes  in  an  equation,  that  taking  away  one  of  them,  the 
other  shall  vanish  with  it.  The  other  to  reduce  such  tearmes 
to  those  habitudes  that  want  them,  though  something  hath 
been  done  in  this  kind  and  not  in  vaine,  yet  there  still  is  re- 
quired more  still  labour  and  time,  than  can  be  affoarded  by 
his  and 

Your  most  humble  servitor, 

JOHN  COLLINS. 


SIR  SAMUEL  MORLAND  TO  JOHN  PELL. 

[MS.  Birch,  Brit.  Mus.  4279,  fol.  143,  Orig.] 

Saturday,  13th  May,  1682. 

Sir, — Not  being  able  to  wayt  on  you  as  yet  (as  I  intended) 
I  take  the  boldness  to  send  you  my  first  request  in  writing, 
which  is  to  beg  you  to  answer  the  following  queres : — 

1.  Supposing  a  foot  to  be  divided  into  12  inches,  what  is 
the  number  (and  decimal  parts)  of  cubick  inches  which  are 
equal  to  the  content  of  a  cylinder,  the  diameter  of  whose  base 
is  1  inch,  and  the  height  12  inches? 

2.  What  is  the  number  of  cubick  inches  that  equal  the 
content  of  a  cylinder,  the  diameter  of  whose  base  is  2  inches, 
and  the  height  12  inches  ? 

3.  What  is  the  number  of  cubick  inches  answering  to  a 
cylinder,  the  diameter  of  the  base  being  three  inches,  and  the 
height  12  inches? 

And  if  your  leisure  will  permitt  you,  I  would  beg  a  table 
giving  the  number  of  square  inches  conteyned  in  the  areas  of 
all  circles  from  1  inch  diameter,  to  a  100  inches  diameter. 

And  what  trouble  this  shall  give  you,  shall  be  acknow- 
ledged by 

Your  most  humble  and  faithful  servant, 

S.  MORLAND. 


APPENDIX. 


I.  Corrector  Analyticus,  or  strictures  on  the  Artis  Analytics  Praxis 
of  Thomas  Harriot,  by  Nathaniel  Torporley.  From  the  original 
manuscript  preserved  in  the  library  of  Sion  College. 


Tractatum  analyticum  ilium  posthumum  proximis  diebus  hisce 
proinulgatum  retracturo,  triplex  mihi  incumbit  negotium  pro  triplici 
rerum  retractandarum  differentia.  Queedam  enim  ejusdem  dictata 
(quis  hoc  credat  ?  in  mathematicis  prsesertim  quibus  inservit  de- 
monstratio,  ut  lapis  Lydius  ad  segreganda  a  falsis  vera,  a  tali  vero 
prsesertim  Coripheeo  mathematicorum  credito,  a  talibus  prsesertim 
recognitoribus  summa  fide  et  diligentia  omnia  describentibus)  non 
solum  controversa  et  dubia,  sed  etiam  a  veritate  aliena,  pseudola  et 
falsaria.  Quse  idcirco  sunt  accuratius  discutienda,  redarguenda  et 
resecanda,  ne  vel  decipiatur  inter  legendum  artista,  vel  prse  indicio 
damnetur  assertor.  Qusedam  etiam  sunt  imperfecta  et  mutila,  ne 
dum  non  ab  ipso  authore  consummata,  sed  ne  etiam,  quse  ab  ipso 
bene  excogitata  et  scitu  necessaria  sunt  tradita,  ab  ejus  administris 
eadem  promissa  fide  et  industria  posteritati  transmissa.  Neque  vero 
est  ut  sese  excusatos  haberi  preesumant  a  testata  intentione  sua  illam 
prsecipue  partem  artis  ornandi,  quse  spectet  ad  resolutionem  nume- 
rosam,  accitis  reliquis  tantum  obiter  ejus  ut  puta  introductionis. 
Collatis  enim  iis  quse  erant  proprise  Harrioti  ipsius  inventiones,  cum 
reliquis  quas  aliunde  mutuum  assumpsit  :  tarn  quidem  in  pusillo 
compingeretur  sua  ipsius  inventa,  quas  proprias  qusesivit  opes,  ni- 
hil  ut  fuerit  reliqui,  si  universa  ejus  inventionum  farrago  congera- 
tur,  ad  justi  voluminis  quantum  vis  exigui  comprehendendam  dimen- 
sionem.  Itaque  tertius  ordo  animadvertendorum  talium  esto  prse- 
ceptorum  quse  prius  ab  aliis  tradita,  facta  levi  aliqua  mutatione  in 
possessionem  hujus  authoris  pervenerunt.  Etsi  illius  modi  aliena 
occupandi  consuetudo  adeo  evasit  usitata  et  familiaris,  ut  non  solum 
licitum  sed  et  laudabile  videatur  esse  quod  fuerit  publicum.  Prorsus 
ut  mihi  videantur  scriptorum  hodiernorum  plurimi  non  tarn  authoris 
agere  ad  lectores  docendos,  quam  scholares  in  ludis  literariis,  quando 


110  APPENDIX. 

dictata  praeceptore  didicissent,  memoriter  eodem  coram  oondisciptilis 
repetentis.  Sed  ut  non  dignum  vituperio  indico  in  alienam  messem 
immittere  falcem  aliquam  vel  methodicam,  vel  expositoriam  vel  dic- 
taminis,  dummodo  debitus  primaevo  servetur  honos  :  ita  nego  plau- 
sum  optime  merit!  de  re  literaria  mereri  cramhen  bis  positam  nedum, 
sed  neque  ullam  inventionem,  nisi  ilium  quae  illecebris  jubet  et  grata 
novitate  moretur  discentem.  Atque  hujus  generis  commissa,  quando 
maximam  partem  occupent  totius  editi  opusculi,  otiosum  fuerit  sin- 
gula  percensere.  Suifecerit  ergo  eadem  generalius  et  carptim  per- 
strinxisse.  Neque  praeterea  erit  opus  has  ita  notatas  tripartitas 
discussiones  sigillatim  et  suo  ordine  sub  quodam  methodo  reductas 
percurrere  :  quando  quaedam  ex  observatis  pluribus  ex  his  tribus 
censuris  obnoxia  sint,  adeo  ut  quae  falsa  sint,  ilia  oriantur  ex  omis- 
sione  jam  latorum  praeceptorum ;  et  quae  aliunde  ascititia  sunt,  ilia 
ex  non  recte  intellectis  antea  traditis  in  falsa  degenerent.  Si  ergo 
non  servetur  ordo  in  his  recensendis,  sed  quseris  utrumque  primo 
obvia  examinentur,  nihil  retulerit,  ordo  enim  et  methodus  ad  fabri- 
cam  non  ad  demolitionem  inservit.  Nam  de  excusanda  stili  ruditate 
non  est  ut  laborem,  decrepitus  jam  senex  et  jam  moriturus.  Altero 
demonstrationes  satis  illas  ornatas,  si  ex  omnibus  rhetorum  phaleris, 
uti  quae  ornantur  cibi  puritate  licet  diminuta  exprimantur.  De  reli- 
quis  contendant  aucupatores  famae.  Ego  si  dedecoris  pristini  labem 
abstersero,  pulchre  discedo  et  probe  et  prseter  spem.  His  ita  brevi- 
ter  praefatis  deinde  videamus  quod  Harriotus  instauratus  apportet 
bonive  malive.  Primo  itaque  de  Harrioti  methodo  dicamus,  cujus 
saepius  mentio  facienda  est  in  sequentibus,  ut  constet  et  de  prolatis 
et  de  praetermissis,  ubi  non  possum  non  conqueri,  illud  ne  male  ha- 
bere  quod  ejus  glossarii  ita  penitus  transformarunt  eandem,  ut  non 
solum  non  ordinem  sed  vix  verbum  ejus  retineant.  Id  quod  forte 
laude  dignum  esset,  si  alicujus  illiterati  fortuito  inventa  distribuis- 
sent.  Sed  cum  hominis  per  eos  in  coelum  sublati  et  cui  encyclope- 
diam  summam  ascripserunt,  opera  ita  transmutarunt  ut  vix  vestigium 
ab  eo  pressum  appareret :  quod  non  erat  aliud  quam  confessio  tacita 
alicujus  deprehensae  imperfectionis  cui  suppetias  ita  esse  percuperent, 
aut  saltern  se  illi  fore  praepositos  crederent.  Atque  illius  methodus 
ilia  erat. 

Primo  accurata  tractatio  irrationalius  surdorum  sive,  ut  ille  vocat 
eos,  radicalium  numerorum,  non  ilia  quidem  aliena  ab  analytica  arte 
confitentibus  ejus  interpretibus  in  sectione,  sed  totam  artem  omit- 
tentibus  mixum.  Nam  si  inutilis  ad  Exegesin,  cur  ejus  ibi  fecerunt 
mentionem  ?  Si  mentionem  fecerunt,  certe  ut  non  inutilis,  cur  igitur 
non  descripserunt  ? 

His  insuper  addidit,  veluti  etiam  praeludia  ad  ipsam  analyticam ; 
speculationem  de  numeris  et  binomialum  speciebus,  de  extractione 
radicis  quadratae  e  binomio  piano,  et  quo  plurimum  sudavit  (et  illud 
forte  necquidquam)  de  extractione  radicis  cubicae  e  solido  binomio, 
usque  ad  exhaustionem  viginti  septem  aut  octo  chartarum.  Nam 
solebat  ad  imitationem  juris  peritorum  per  chartas  ab  una  parte  exa- 
ratas,  et  per  articulas  simul  colligatas,  distribuere  seorsim  diversa 
documentorum  suorum  membra,  ut  ita  homogenea  unum  in  locum 


APPENDIX.  Ill 

reponerentur,  prsepositis  quibusdam  paragraphis  plerumque  literarum 
cum  chartarurn  ascripto  numero,  ad  satis  methodicam  inventionem 
cujuscunque  particularis  subject!,  quando  ad  illud  relatio  quomodo- 
cumque  esset  facienda. 

Quibus  accesserunt,  vel  processerunt  potius.  Operationes  logis- 
ticee  in  notis  ita  dictae  ab  Harrioto,  ubi  incipiunt  ejus  glossatores  sub 
titulo.  Logistices  speciosae  quatuor  operationum  formse  exemplifi- 
catse  non  ita  scilicet  magistraliter  distant!  illo.  In  ipso  analytices 
artificio  contentus  trimembri  divisione  inscribit  primam  ejus  partem 
ita.  De  generatione  aequationum  canonicarum  sub  paragrapho  d) 
compaginatis  ad  illud  argumentum  chartis  21  cum  appendiculis  duo- 
bus  de  multiplicatione  radicum. 

Secunda  pars  autem  sub  titulo  "  De  resolutione  aequationum  per 
reductionem,"  habet  paragraphum  e)  chartas  29.  item/o)  chartas  7  : 
ffi)  chartas  quoque  7  :  et  succedens  illis  in  chartarum  numeratione, 
/  y)  ad  chartam/  18  y)  cum  appendicula  sub  lemmate  duplici  non 
ilia  contemnenda  licet  a  suis  omissa :  Deinde  /  e))  chartae  8.  f  e) 
chartae  4./£)  item  4 :  Postremo  seorsim  sub  signo  H^~  chartae  no- 
vem  continentes  reductiones  veterum  ad  Harrioti  methodum  revo- 
catas. 

Sed  tertiam  partem  (non  ita  studio  dissentiendi)  cum  Vieta  in  suo 
libro.  De  numerosa  potestatum  resolutione,  et  recte  merito.  Non 
totus  fere  est  Vietaeus  per  exempla  singula,  et  supposito  paragrapho, 
et  in  chartis  13  sunt  exempla  tria  quadratica  quorum  primum  est 
suum,  duo  reliqua  sunt  Vietse,  quinque  cubic*  omnia  Vietae  praeter 
primum.  Et  quinque  quadrate  quadratica  quorum  quartum  est  suum, 
reliqua  Vietae.  Et  sunt  ista  secundum  Vietae  methodum  aequatio- 
num  omnino  affirmantium.  Altera  ejus  pars  sub  paragrapho  6)  in 
chartis  12  habet  cum  Vieta  habet  analyticam  potestatum  affectarum 
negate  quadratica  b  1)  b  2)  b  3)  cubica  64)  ad  b  10)  quadrato-qua- 
dratica  6  10)  611)  612). 

Tertia  ejus  pars  sub  paragrapho  c)  habet  18  chartas,  tractat  ana- 
lysin  potestatum  avulsurum  cum  Vieta,  ubi  radices  sunt  multiplices 
et  singularum  limites  demonstrantur.  Exempla  hujus  sunt  quadra- 
tica duo,  cubico-cubica  4,  quadrate- quadratica  duo.  Sunt  alia  quae- 
dam  particularia  hunc  spectantia,  de  quibus  suo  loco. 

Haec  est  generalis  ;  et  quantum  poscit  nostram  propositam  perbrevis 
ejusce  methodi  synopsis  tarn  ilia  facilis  et  perspicua  quam  est  septi- 
membris  illorum  distributio.  Unde  partem  liquet  e  tribus  illis  par- 
tibus  earn  de  numerosa  resolutione  totam  esse  usurarium  et  ipsum 
Vietam  a  capite  ad  calcem  redolere,  paucis,  ut  dixit  Harriotus,  mu- 
tatis. Ilia  autem  pauca  cujusmodi  sunt  ?  quae  certe  non  nihil  com- 
pendii  praecepto  afferunt,  sed  et  quae  nihil  negotii  adimunt  operatione. 
Ex  sequentibus  etiam  patebit  secundam  partem  reductionum  Vietam 
agnoscere  parentem  ex  parte  maxima,  alioqui  alios  praecedentes  ha- 
bere  authoris :  ut  nihil  ex  toto  volumine  in  genere  reliqui  supersit 
Harrioti  proprium  praeter  primam  generationis  partem,  quam  certe 
non  numerito  dixerit  quis  fabricam  vel  omcinam  nihili ;  non  quod 
nihil  exinde  boni  oriatur,  sed  quod  ex  nihili  ingeniosa  tractatione, 
totum  illud  quodcunque  sit  (quod  sane  non  est  contemnendum  in- 


112  APPENDIX. 

ventum)  derivetur.  Nam  ex  hypothesi  primo  quidem  si  negetur 
idem  de  eodem  sese  nihil  reliqui  superesse,  ut  posito  a  •<  b,  turn 
a — b  <  o,  deinde  si  vel  in  se  nihilum  duratur  vel  in  quantitatem 
quamcunque  positivam  produci  quoque  nihilum  (veluti  si  posita 
quantitas  c,  duratur  in  a — b,  quod  ob  primum  hypothesin  valet  ni- 
hil, turn  erit  a  c — b  c  nullius  amplius  valoris)  universam  canonem 
omnium  administrationem  subtili  certe  prosecutione  deducit.  Et 
hoc  (namque  confidentius  illud  attestor)  non  sine  divinse  providentise 
manuductione  accidisse  credendum  est.  Ut  qui  toties  illud  genti- 
lium  axioma  inculcasset  (ex  nihilo  nihil  fieri)  ipse  sese  erroris  dam- 
nerat ;  ex  nihilo  tot  et  tarn  speciosa  artis  depromerat  miracula.  Ut 
quum  ipse  tarn  ens  mortale  entia  tot,  et  ilia  immortalia  quo  dum- 
modo  ex  nihilo  generet ;  rogatur  nolens  volensve  confiteri  immorta- 
lem  Deum,  potentissimum,  optimum,  maximum,  non  tarn  sapientis- 
simum,  quam  ipsam  sapientiam  summam,  omnipotentise  suse  praero- 
gativa  posse  ex  eodem  nihilo  ipsam  entium  visibilium  et  ad  interitum 
festinantium  compagem  creare.  Sed  ne  declamatoris  partes  potius 
quam  demonstratoris  agere  videar,  opportunum  est  ad  examinandum 
veniamus,  ecquid  habemus  in  illo  tractatu  posthumo  quod  contem- 
namus,  idque  apodietica  censura  castigemus.  Qua  in  re,  missa 
cunctatione  ad  ipsum  singulum  rescindendum  protinus  accedemus ; 
ut  accuratius  ventilata  absurditatem  una  et  ex  probatis  cognito  posse 
tales  aretis  antesignamus  cellabi ;  de  csetero  sine  praejudicio  authori- 
tate  quantumcunque  famosorum  posthabita,  in  hoc  ipso  imitemur 
Aristotelem,  ut  sit  nobis  charissima  veritas,  ne  excepto  ipso  Platone. 
Sic  igitur  accipe,  et  crimine  ab  uno,  disce  omnes  horum  infirmi- 
tates. 

Sunt  in  dicto  opere  et  in  sectione  ejus  tertia,  problemata  tria  im- 
mediate sequentia,  scilicet  decimum  nonum,  vicesimum,  et  vicesimum 
primum,  quse  paraphrastes  fatetur  non  bene  sese  intelligere,  et  ideo 
referre  reductiones  sequationum  illarum  ad  meliorem  inquisitionem : 
nihilominus  describit  eas  tanquam  reducibiles  sub  hac  forma. 


PROBLEMA  19. 

yEquationem  quadrimoniam 

aaaa  —  baa,ja  +  bcaa  +  be  da 

—  caaa  —  bdaa  +  b  cfa  =  b  c  df 
-j-  da  a  a  —  c  da  a  —  b  df  a 
-f-  fa  a  a  —  bfa  a  —  c  dfa 

—  cfa  a 

+  dfa  a 


posito  Z>-f-c  =  d+/ad  binomiam 

aaaa  —  bbba  —  bbbc 

—  b  b  c  a  =  b  b  c  c 

—  bcca  —  b  ccc 

—  ccca 

reducere,  sublatis  scilicet  gradibus  a  a  et  a  a  a. 


APPENDIX.  113 


PROBLEMA  20. 
^Equationem  quadrimoniam 

aaaa  —  baac  +  bcaa  +  be  da 

—  caaa  —  b  dc  a  +  b  cfa  =  —  b  c  df 
+  daaa  —  cdaa  —  b  dfa 
•\-faaa  —  bfa  a  —  c  dfa 
—  cfaa 
+  dfa  a 
posito  bc+df=bd+cd  +  bf+cf 

ad  binomiam  aaaa  —  b  b  b  a  a  a 

—  bbcaaa_bbbccc 

—  bccaaa  =  bb  +  be  +  cc 
— cccaaa 

bb  +  be  +  cc 
sublatis  reducere  scilicet  gradibus  a  et  a  a. 

PROBLEMA  21. 
yEquationem  quadrimoniam 

aaaa  —  baaa  +  bcaa  +  be  da 

—  caaa  —  bdaa  +  b  cfa  =  —  bcdf 
-f-  da  a  a  —  cdaa  —  b  dfa 
•i-faaa  —  bfaa  —  cdfa 

—  cfaa 

+  dfa  a 

posito  d  +  /  =  b  -f  c 

ad  binomiam  aaaa  —  b  b  a  a        ,, 

=  0  b  c  c 

—  ccaa 

reducere,  sublatis  scilicet  gradibus  a  et  a  a  a. 

Istse  sunt  tres  illse  reductiones  praeclare  sequationis  ejus  quadrimo- 
nise  ad  tres  binomias,  seu  mavis  generationes  binomiarum,  quse  ad 
resolutionem  numerosam  magis  sunt  accommodse,  utpote  quse  sint 
minus  affectionibus  oppressse.  Quse  quidem  glossariis  Harrioti  forte 
viderentur  sufficere  ad  praxin  suam  exigeticam  excercendum.  Sed 
non  istae  similiter  mihi  sufficiunt  ad  facultatis  specimen  ut  consultet 
ne  etiam  paulo  penitus  rimasse  Harriotica.  Nam  restat  in  adversariis 
ejus  omissus  modus  secundus  generandi  binomiam  sequationem  pro- 
blematis  decimi  noni  ubi  tolluntur  gradus  a  a  et  a  a  a,  idque  ab  ilia 
sequatione  quadrimonia  qua  describitur  in  propositione  undecima 
sectionis  secundse  inter  originales,  nee  locum  sortita  est  inter  reduc- 
titias. 

Ut  igitur  accuratius  de  Harrioti  dormitatione  statuamus  et  simul 
constet  in  mathematicis  seque  atque  philosophicis  aequivocam  gene- 
rationem  posse  reperiri.  Sic  igitur  se  habet  apud  Harriotum  in 

I 


114  APPENDIX. 

d  72°)  sed  quia  sordent  illis  locutiones  Harrioticae  eminemus  potita 
phrasi  paraphrastarum. 

^Equationem  quadrimoniam 

aaaa  —  baaa  +  bcaa  —  bcda 

—  caaa  +  bdaa  +  be/a  =  +  bcdf 

—  daaa  -f  cdaa  +  bdfa 
-f  fa  a  a  —  bfa  a  +  c  dfa 

—  cfaa 

—  dfa  a 

ad  binomiam 

aaaa  —  bbba      ,,, 

77     ==  —  0  0  0  C 

—  bbca 

—  bcca  —  bbcc 

—  ccca  —  b  ccc 

vel  per  conversionem 

signorum  ut  vult  Harriotus        bbb  c  =  bbba 

bbcc  -f-  bbca 
bcc  c  +  bcca 

+  ccca  —  aaaa 

reducere,  sublatis  scilicet  gradibus  a  a  et  a  a  a. 

Et  ignoscant,  uti  spero,  si  sequendo  authorem,  non  adeo  cum  illis 
fuero  sollicitus,  ut  signa  intervertam  cum  illis,  quo  ponatur  summa 
potestas  affirmativa,  etsi  ab  altera  sequationis  parte  sint  homogenea 
negativa,  quod  aliquid  in  se  saltern  habet  indecori,  sed  nobis  minutia 
non  sunt  animadvertenda. 

Et  ad  correctionem  horum  problematum  accedens,  utar  tali  argu- 
mentatione  nam  sunt  et  nobis  syllogismi,  me  licet  hostis  inter  alia 
convitia  et  hoc  criminaretur  domino  Petworthise  quod  essem  dialec- 
ticus  ignarus. 

Si  sit  possibile  ut  ex  sequatione  quadrimonia  generetur  binomia 
necesse  est  ut  in  gradibus  ablatis  coefficientes  utrumque  negativa 
sint  sequalibus  coefficientibus  affirmativis  sed  in  hisce  problematis 
impossibile  ut  coefficientes  utrinque  (hoc  est  in  utroque  gradu  ablato) 
negativa  sint  sequales  coefficientibus  affirmativas. 

Ergo, 

In  hisce  problematis  non  est  possibile  ut  ex  sequatione  quadrimonia 
generetur  binomia. 

Contra  majorem  propositionem  peccant  paraphrastse  puerilius,  con- 
tra minorem  peccat  Harriotus  inconsideratius. 

Sed  ad  primum  errorem  castigandum  paraphrastarum  scilicet  qui 
ex  posita  unica  sequalitate,  puta  b  +  c  —  d+f'm  problemate  19  et  21 
etZ>c  +  6?/=6c?-f  cc?+6/+cinproblemate  20,  non  est  ut  multum  la- 
boremus.  Ipsi  enim  suo  indicio  sibi  ipsis  opponunturin  locis  plurimis 
reductionum  suarum,  ubi  inferunt  hsec  verba  in  sequatione  proposita 
per  particularium  contradictionem  eliditur  gradus  primus,  secundus, 
vel  tertius,  et  tollantur  contradictoria  redundantia,  item  rejecto  re- 


APPENDIX.  115 

dundantium  ex  contradictione  et  similia,  ex  quibus,  per  ipsos  mani- 
festo sequitur  nisi  fiat  elisio,  rejectio,  vel  redundantia  inaequalius  et 
contradicentibus  alicujus  coeflicientis  partibus,  falsam  esse  et  impos- 
sibilem  ejusdem  gradus  cui  ascribitur  coefficiens  ablationem.  Et 
merito  illud  quidem.  Nam  si  inaequalitate  existenti  inter  partes 
ejus  affirmantes  et  negantes :  si  excessus  fuerit  penes  affirmantes 
aufertur  ex  ilia  parte  aequationis  tanto  plus  justo  quantum  est  diffe- 
rentiae partium  coefficientes  in  gradum  ablatum  ducta.  Sin  autem 
exuperent  negantes  tantumdem  excedet  ilia  pars  aequationis  ipsum 
homogenium  datum,  cui  statuitur  esse  aequalis.  Impossibile  igitur 
est,  ut  ad  unicam  positam  aequalitatem  coefficientis  partium  inferatur 
ablatio  plurium  quam  unius  gradus  parodici.  Quod  ipsum  satis  erat 
notum  Harrioto.  Nam  in  singulis  illis  ejus  paralogysmis  assumit  ut 
in  confesso  duplicem  partium  duplicium  coefficientium  sequalitatem 
ad  binos  quosque  tollendos  gradus.  Et  hoc  facilius  admisit  incom- 
modum  quia  in  prsecedentibus  ad  tollendos  gradus  tantum  singulos, 
eadem  aequalitates  partium  coefficientis  unius  cujusvis  qualiter  in- 
serviebant  quo  facilius  introducta  est  hypothesis  sequationis  geminse 
partium,  quae  contra  minorem  argumenti  esse  nostri  propositionem 
militat  et  jam  nunc  nobis  sed  majori  conamine  et  mactimis  validio- 
ribus  oppugnanda  est,  sequentibus  praemissis  lematiis. 

Lemma  primum. 

Si  quantitas  aliqua  semel  atque  iterum  bisecetur  inaequaliter  : 
factum  a  partibus  minoris  inaequalitatis,  et  differentiae  quadratorum 
dimidiarum  differentiarum  inter  partes  inaequales. 

Esto  quantitas  a  b  divisa  primo  in  c  puncto  in  duas  partes  inae- 
quales  ac,  c  b,  deinde  in  duas  alias  ad,  db,  ubi  inaequalitas  prima 


inter  a  c,  c  b  minor  est  T  »   inse- 

a  c  c  a  b 

qualitate  secunda  inter  a  d  et  db,   et  sequitur  propositum. 

Nam  tertio  divisa  eadem  in  partes  aequales  a  c,  eb,  per  5 2  est 
factum  ex  a  c,  c  b,  cum  quadrato  c  e  aequale  quadrato  semissis  scilicet 
e  b  :  atque  etiam  factum  ex  ad,  b  d,  cum  quadrato  ad  aequatur  eidem 
semissi  ergo  et  aequantur  invicem.  At  e  c  et  e  d  sunt  dimidiae  diffe- 
rentiae partium  ac,  c  b  et  partium  ad,  db,  ergo  facta  a  partibus  cum 
quadratis  dimidiarum  differentiarum,  sunt  invicem  aequalia,  et  ablato 
ab  sequalibus  quadrato  minoris  differentiae  e  c  erunt  residua  aequalia, 
nimirum  factum  ex  ac,  cb  aequale  facto  ex  ad,  db  cum  differentia 
quadratorum  ec,ed,  dimidiarum  puta  differentiarum,  ut  erat  propo- 
situm. 

Jordanus  in  20  primi  ex  hypothesi  hujus  propositionis  infert  aliam 
conclusionem,  licet  aliis  verbis  factum  scilicet  e  partibus  differentiae 
minoris  a  c,  c  b  aequari  et  facto  e  partibus  reliquis  et  facto  ex  diffe- 
rentiis  alicujus  unius  partis  primae  divisionis  et  partium  singularum 
divisionis  reliquae ;  ut  sit  factum  ex  ae,  cb  aequale  facto  ex  ad,  d  b, 
et  facto  ex  differentia  inter  ae,  ad,  et  differentia  inter  ac,db,  quod 
instar  corollarii  poni  potest. 

I  2 


116  APPENDIX. 


Lemma. 

Si  quselibet  duse  quantitates  bisecentur  insequaliter ;  quse  fiunt  ex 
quatuor  producta  e  singulis  partibus  unius  in  singulas  partes  alte- 
rius,  sequantur  producto  quod  fit  a  totis  in  se  ductis. 

Hujus  lemmatis  non  est  e  longinquo  accersenda  demonstratio 
cum  sit  proposito  idem  cum  primo  secundi  Euclid  is  quamvis  gene- 
ralius  enunciata,  ad  omnes  species  quantitatis  comprehendas,  et 
quasi  reciproca  ejusdern  repetitio areX. 


II.  The  Autobiography  of  Sir  Samuel  Mor land,  in  a  letter  addressed 
to  Archbishop  Tenison.  From  the  original  manuscript  preserved 
in  the  library  at  Lambeth  Palace. 

[MSS.  Lambeth,  931,  Orig.] 

SIR, — I  am  not  ignorant  of  the  various  reports  of  the  excessive 
prodigalities  and  other  sins  of  my  youthful  daies,  that  have  now  for 
a  long  time  been  spread  abroad  by  the  credulous  and  censorious 
world;  especially  since  it  has  pleased  Almighty  God  of  late  years,  to 
visit  mee  with  manifold  crosses  and  afflictions  which  have  kept  al- 
most as  exact  time  and  measure  as  formerly  did  Job's  messengers. 
And  farr  be  it  from  mee  to  act  the  pharise's  part,  or  plead  my  inno- 
cence, in  any  other  terms. 

However  I  have  thought  it  necessary,  (being  sensible  of  my 
mortality,  and  knowing  well  that  I  address  myself  to  a  true  Natha- 
niel, in  whom  there  is  no  guile!)  to  make  you  my  confessor,  and  to 
give  you  an  abbreviat  of  the  history  of  some  part  and  passages  of 
my  life,  being  willing  to  carry  the  rest  into  the  grave  with  mee,  by 
reason  of  the  circumstances  of  the  age  wee  live  in,  there  to  bee 
buried  in  oblivion. 

Having  received  my  education  in  Winchester  Colledg,  I  was  re- 
moved to  the  University  of  Cambridg,  wrhere  having  spent  nine  or 
ten  years,  I  was  sollicited  by  some  freinds  to  take  upon  mee  the 
ministry,  for  which,  fearing  I  was  not  fitly  qualified,  I  betook  myself 
to  the  study  of  the  mathematicks.  Soon  after,  an  occasion  present- 
ing itself,  I  accompanied  an  ambassador,  (among  several  other  gen- 
tlemen) sent  by  the  protector  to  the  queen  of  Sweden.  At  my  re- 
turn, I  was  recommended  to  Secretary  Thurlo  for  an  assistant,  and 
in  a  few  months  time  after,  sent  by  Cromwell  as  an  envoy  to  the 
duke  of  Savoy  in  behalf  of  the  protestants  of  the  valleys  of  Pied- 
mont. And  from  thence  to  Geneva,  as  his  resident,  to  manage  the 
affayrs  of  those  poor  people  together  with  other  forraign  ministers, 
as  likewise  to  transmitt  the  moneys  collected  in  England  for  their 


APPENDIX.  117 

releif,  and  to  prepare  minutes,  and  procure  records,  vouchers,  and 
attestations,  for  the  compiling  of  an  exact  history  of  the  Waldenses. 

That  negociation  being  ended,  and  having  exposed  an  account  at 
my  return  of  the  whole  transaction  to  a  select  committee  of  gentle- 
men who  were  appoynted  by  Cromwell  to  examine  particulars  and 
make  their  report,  as  appears  by  their  certificat  marked  (A)*,  regis- 
tered in  the  council  books,  of  which  I  have  the  original,  I  was  ad- 
mitted into  the  most  intimat  affayrs  of  state ;  where  I  had  frequent 
opportunities  of  taking  a  clear  view  of  all  proceedings  from  41  to 
56,  and  so  forwards  for  severall  years. 

Amongst  other  intrigues,  I  was  an  ey  and  ear  witnes  of  Dr.  He- 
wet's  being  inhumanely  trepann'd  to  death  (together  with  several 
other  persons  of  quality)  by  Thurlo  and  his  agents.  For  instance, 
one  Dr.  Corkor  was  sent  by  Thurlo  to  Dr.  Hewet  to  advise  him  and 
desire  him  on  the  behalf  of  the  royalists,  to  send  to  Bruxels  for 
blank  commissions  from  Charles  2nd.  And  when  those  commissioners 
were  come,  was  ordered  to  desire  to  bee  employed  by  him  to  di- 
sperse part  of  them  into  several  counties  and  to  keep  the  rest  by  him, 
which  done  he  was  seized  on,  together  with  those  commissions,  and 
condemned  by  a  High  Court  of  Justice,  and  at  last  cruelly  executed. 

I  was  likewise  privy  to  a  design  which  was  carried  on  by  Sir 
Richard  Willis  (whom  Charles  II.  trusted  with  all  his  affayrs  in 
England)  from  a  year  before  Cromwell's  death  to  the  rising  of  Sir 
George  Booth  (afterwards  L.  Delamar)  for  giving  up  the  person 
of  his  majesty.  At  which  time,  the  said  Sir  Richard  Willis,  by  the 
appointment  of  Secretary  Scott,  and  one  person  more  (Thurlo  being 
now  out  of  employment)  hired  a  great  house  called  Weston  Hanger, 
in  Kent,  moated  about,  and  situated  for  the  purpose,  and  then  ad- 
vised and  pressed  Charles  II.  with  all  diligence  to  come  for  England, 
and  reside  in  that  house  for  the  better  encouragement  of  those  who 
should  rise  in  arms  for  his  restauration. 

To  this  proposition  the  king  readily  consented,  and  the  day  of  his 
setting  out  from  Bruxels  (as  I  remember)  was  appoynted,  and  notice 
thereof  being  given  to  Scott  by  Sir  R.  Willis,  there  were  several 
thousands  of  chosen  men  arm'd  cap-a-pe,  who  had  instructions  to 
place  themselves  round  about  in  woods  and  as  privately  as  was  pos- 
sible, and  upon  the  watchword  given  that  the  king  was  enter'd  into 
the  said  house,  to  rush  in  and  murder  him  and  all  his  followers  in  a 
hurry,  so  as  it  might  never  be  known  by  whose  hand  he  fell,  which 
was  thought  by  the  contrivers  a  much  better  method  than  formally 
to  bring  him  to  a  tryal  before  a  High  Court  of  Justice,  as  they  had 
don  his  father. 

Now  the  horror  of  this  and  such  like  designs  to  support  an  usurped 
government,  and  fearing  to  have  the  king's  blood  layd  another  day 
in  foro  divino  to  my  charge,  (there  being  no  person  but  myself, 
and  the  contrivers,  and  the  cheif  of  those  who  were  to  act  it,  privy 
to  it) ;  and  calling  to  remembrance  Hushai's  behaviour  towards 

*  This  paper  marked  (A)  and  entitled  "Certificate  of  the  committee  for  Piemont 
concerning  Mr.  Morland's  negociations  for  the  protestants  of  the  valleys,"  is  pre- 
served in  the  same  volume,  and  is  apparently  the  only  one  now  remaining. 


118  APPENDIX. 

Absolom,  which  I  found  not  at  all  blamed  in  Holy  Writt,  (and  yet 
his  was  a  larger  step  than  mine,  I  having  never  taken  any  kind  of 
oath  or  made  any  formal  promise  that  I  ever  remember  to  any  of 
those  governments) ;  as  likewise  seriously  reflecting  upon  those 
oaths  of  supremacy  and  allegiance  which  I  had  taken  during  the 
reign  of  Charles  I .  at  Winchester  Colledg,  I  took  at  last  a  firm  re- 
solution to  do  my  native  prince,  and  the  rightfull  heir  to  the  crown, 
all  the  service  that  should  lay  in  my  power.  And  here  I  cannot 
ornitt  to  observe, 

1.  That  this  juncture  of  time  was  the  darkest  moon  of  all  that 
king's  reign,  a  time  when  hee  was  in  a  manner  abandoned  by  almost 
all  his  neighbouring  princes  and  states,  and  miserably  betrayed  by 
many  of  his  domestic  servants,  and  some  of  those  in  whose  hands 
were  all  his  secrets  and  principal  affayres.     A  time  when  he  was 
in  great  distress  for  moneys,  that  being  prest  by  Sir  Richard  Willis 
to  send  him  fifty  or  sixty  pound,  as  oft  as  hee  sent  him  over  new 
instructions,  which  was  usually  once  a  month  (though  at  the  same 
time  hee  had  much  greater  sums  conveyed  to  him  by  my  hands  in 
dark  nights  and  obscure  places  such  as  the  Vine  Tavern  in  Holborn, 
hackney  coaches,  and  the  like ! )  His  Majesty  was  frequently  forced 
to  pawn  his  plate  or  jewels,  and  as  I  remember,  once  to  sell  his 
coach  horses  to  supply  him.     All  which  misfortunes  Sir  Richard 
Willis  having  enumerated  and  illustrated  in  a  letter  of  his  to  mee 
about  the  same  time  to  encourage  the  king's  enemies  here,  pin'd 
the  basket,  and  closed  his  letter  with  this  paragraph,  verbatim,  viz., 
And  now  I  know  not  what  power  that  little  king  has  left  him,  unless  it 
bee  to  command  his  followers  to  run  madd  as  they  please. 

2.  This  was  a  time  when  I  lived  in  greater  plenty  then  ever  I  did 
since  the  king's  Restauration,  having  a  house  well  furnish't,  a  suffi- 
cient number  of  servants  and  attendants,  a  very  good  coach  and 
horses  in  my  stables,  a  revenue  of  above  a  thousand   pound  per 
annum  to  mainteyn  it ,  and  several  hundreds  of  pounds  of  ready 
money  by  mee  ;  and  a  beautiful  young  woman  to  my  wife  for  a 
companion.     Now  the  giving  myself  up  to  serve  the  king  was  not 
onely  to  hazard  all  this,  but  to  live  in  dayly  expectation  of  being 
taken  out  of  my  bed  or  house,  and  drag'd  to  the  torments,  and  there 
had  my  flesh  pull'd  off  my  bones  with  red  hot  pincers ;  these  were 
Thurloe's  own  expressions  how  they  had  dealt  with  mee  had  they  in 
the  least  suspected  mee. 

3.  Had  ambition  been  and  titles  of  honor  been  what  I  aym'd  at, 
whenever  the  king  should  be  restored;  so   little   appearance  was 
there  at  that  time  of  any  such  change,  and  such  characters  were 
then  given  of  the  king's  person,  that  to  rely  upon  a  promised  honor, 
would  have  seemed  no  other  then  building  castles  in  the  ayr,  and  a 
hundred   pound   for   the   purchase  of  a  Gartar  would  have  been 
thought  a  desperate  adventure. 

4.  Had  gold  been  the  god  I  then  worship't,  I  had  fayr  opportuni- 
ties, as  its  well  known  whilst  I  resided  at  Geneva,  to  have  gone 
away  with  above  twenty  thousand  pounds  into  some  remote  corner 
of  the  world,  where  the  power  then  in  being  could  never  have 


APPENDIX.  119 

reacht  mee.  Or  I  might  have  accepted  at  my  return  of  a  much 
greater  sum  to  have  timely  discovered  the  whole  design  of  Crom- 
well's expedition  into  the  Indies  for  the  Spanish  gold  ;  all  those 
commissions  and  instruments  being  either  in  my  view  or  in  my  cus- 
tody. 

Whoever  shall  seriously  consider  the  foregoing  observations  will 
hardly  believe  that  any  self  ends,  (though  possibly  they  might,  by 
the  pravity  of  man's  nature,  and  the  subtilty  of  the  Divel,  bee  in- 
jected into  the  fancy)  could  possibly  outwey  the  considerations  of 
duty  and  conscience  in  such  an  undertaking  as  this  of  mine  was,  in 
the  blackest  and  worst  of  times. 

Having  now  resolved  upon  the  end,  the  next  thing  was  to  con- 
trive the  means  of  effecting  it.  And  having  made  choice  of  one  Ma- 
jor Henshaw,  (whose  life  I  had  some  time  before  saved,  he  being 
one  of  the  forty  men  who  had  sworn  neither  to  eat  or  drink  till  they 
had  killed  Cromwell)  I  gott  him  to  send  a  letter  to  Charles  2nd. 
by  one  of  his  confidents,  to  acquaint  him  that  there  was  death  in 
the  pott,  if  ever  hee  entered  within  the  doors  of  Weston  Hanger. 
This  letter  happened  to  bee  put  into  his  hands,  as  hee  had  one  of 
his  boots  already  on,  and  was  drawing  on  the  other,  to  ride  post 
towards  the  water  side,  in  order  to  his  coming  over,  as  Sir  Richard 
Willis  had  advised  him,  for  the  encouragement  of  his  party.  This 
letter  putt  a  stop  to  his  journey,  but  with  much  difficulty,  the  king 
being  made  almost  believe,  by  the  lord  of  Ormond  and  others,  that 
this  was  onely  a  stratagem  of  the  protector,  to  throw  dirt  upon  his 
beloved  favourite,  and  so  to  spoyl  his  best  design. 

However,  the  king  sent  mee  an  answer  marked  (B) ,  whereupon  I 
dispatch't  Major  Henshaw  himself,  with  a  second  letter,  and  ac- 
companied it  with  several  long  letters,  all  written  with  Sir  Richard 
Willis  his  own  hand,  discovering  from  time  to  time  all  the  king's 
secrets,  and  whatever  His  Majesty  had  entrusted  him  with. 

To  this  the  king  sent  mee  a  second  letter  marked  (C). 

With  one  of  these  letters  came  a  privat  paper,  as  from  the  king 
(but  in  truth  from  the  chancellor  himself),  ordering  mee  to  send  him 
in  another  privat  paper  an  account  of  his  chancellor  Hyde,  and 
what  I  knew  of  him,  for  hee  was  then  accused  of  corresponding 
with  Thurlo,  and  receiving  moneys  from  Cromwell.  I  believing  it 
came  really  from  the  king,  sent  such  an  account  as  it  seems  did  not 
very  well  please  his  lordship.  And  Hinc  illse  lachrimse  !  From  that 
time  hee  became  a  mortal  enemy. 

When  I  went  over  to  Buda,  upon  the  king's  Restauration,  the 
chancellor  charged  mee  not  to  ask  any  thing  of  the  King,  till  he 
came  into  England,  His  Majesty  being  resolved  to  give  mee  more  than 
in  modesty  I  could  petition  for.  But  when  I  had  wayted  in 
England  till  all  things  of  moment  were  given  away,  and  at  last  de- 
sired to  know  what  the  king  designed  for  mee,  his  answer  was, 
zounds  !  what  the  Divel  would  you  have  ? 

Before  the  king's  coming  over,  by  Major  Henshaw's  and  his 
confidents  privat  agreement,  as  I  believe  with  the  chancellor,  my 
wife  was  made  believe  that  there  was  a  patent  brought  over  and  hid 


120  APPENDIX. 

under  ground  to  give  mee  the  Gartar,  and  make  her  a  dutchess,  as 
being  descended  from  a  noble  family  in  Normandy,  which  was  a 
truth,  and  they  had  so  far  possest  her  with  this  vain  imagination, 
that  shee,  desiring  mee  to  walk  with  her  privatly  into  the  garden 
of  my  countrey  house,  a  little  beyond  Bow,  she  conjured  mee  upon 
Tier  knees  in  the  face  of  Heaven  to  promise  and  swear  to  grant  her  a 
certain  request,  which  was  never  to  ask  any  thing  of  the  king  but 
let  him  do  as  hee  pleased.  And  when  I  pleaded  with  her,  and 
foretold  her  what  really  fell  out  afterwards,  her  answer  was  this — 
The  misfortune  fall  upon  mee  and  my  children. 

The  king  being  restored,  all  his  promises  ended  in  a  patent  for  a 
baronetcy  and  a  gentleman's  place  of  the  privy  chamber,  which  was 
onely  a  place  of  great  expence,  and  cost  mee  at  the  coronation  450 
pounds  in  two  days.  And  after  I  had,  by  the  chancellor's  order  as 
from  the  king  delivered  up  the  first  letter  into  His  Majesty's  own 
hand,  where  hee  had  promised  mee  the  Gartar,  &c.,  I  had  given  mee 
a  pension  of  500  pounds  per  annum  out  of  the  post  office.  But  be- 
ing forced  to  live  at  a  great  expence,  and  lay  out  great  sums  in 
taking  out  patents  and  riding  at  the  coronation,  &c.,  and  so  run 
myself  in  debt,  there  was  one  sent  to  mee  to  give  mee  an  alarm,  that 
the  Duke  of  York  would  have  the  post  office  settled  on  him,  and 
my  pension  would  bee  lost,  and  I  should  do  prudently  to  sell  it, 
and  there  was  a  chapman  for  it,  which  was  Sir  Arthur  Slingsby, 
who  had  it  for  a  summ  much  beneath  its  value,  and  as  1  heard  after- 
wards, hee  bought  it  for  the  Lady  Green,  with  the  king's  money. 

Now  finding  myself  disappoynted  of  all  preferment  and  of  any  real 
estate,  I  betook  myself  to  the  mathematicks,  and  experiments  such 
as  I  found  pleased  the  king's  fancy.  And  when  I  had  spent  500/. 
or  1000/.,  gott  sometimes  one  half,  sometimes  2  thirds  of  what  I  had 
expended.  Sometimes  I  had  pensions,  sometimes  none.  And  care 
was  taken  by  the  ministers  of  state  (under  whom  I  was  forced  to 
truckle,  wayting  oft  at  their  doors  among  the  footmen)  that  one 
thing  should  bee  spent  before  I  gott  another.  One  while  I  was 
made  a  commissioner  of  excise,  paying  part  of  it  to  one  who  had 
procured  it.  But  in  a  few  years  being  run  in  debt  by  chargeable 
experiments  I  was  forced  to  part  with  it.  At  last,  with  much  ado, 
I  gott  those  pensions  that  I  have  of  late  years  enjoyed,  but  they 
being  very  often  stopt,  I  was  at  great  loss  and  expence,  borrowing 
money  at  50  in  the  hundred  and  so  anticipating  my  pension. 

About  two  years  before  the  king's  death,  hee  sent  mee  into  France 
about  that  king's  water-works,  and  I  borrowed  near  a  thousand 
pound  upon  my  pension  (to  repay  the  dowble  to  those  who  lent  it) 
to  prepare  models  and  engines  of  all  kinds  for  that  expedition.  But 
I  was  no  sooner  arrived  there  but  the  lord  treasurer  by  his  Majestyes 
permission  stopt  all  my  pensions  for  three  years. 

King  James  did  indeed  at  my  return  (which  was  with  the  loss  of 
above  1300  pistoles,  as  may  appear  by  the  French  king's  answer  to 
my  last  petition  marked  D)  take  oft  the  stop  off  my  pension,  and 
ordered  the  payment  of  the  arrears,  but  permitted  the  lord  treasurer 
Rochester  to  cutt  off  above  1 300Z.  to  pay  the  workmen  for  the  en- 


APPENDIX.  121 

gin  that  serves  Windsor  Castle  with  water  upon  the  account  of 
some  boons,  and  some  reimbursments  I  had  gott  of  King  Charles  in 
about  a  year  and  a  half's  time  before  my  going  over  into  France. 
And  one  of  the  boons  was  150/.  which  payd  for  the  jewel  hee  gave 
mee  for  pleasing  him  with  the  engine,  and  in  remembrance  of  old 
services,  which  jewel  I  was  forced  to  pawn  and  part  with  at  Paris  to 
furnish  myself  with  money  to  bring  mee  back  to  England. 

As  an  addition  to  all  these  misfortunes,  having  charitably  redeemed 
a  certain  woman  (whose  moralls  I  then  knew  not  at  all)  from  perish- 
ing in  a  prison,  was  inhumanely  betrayed  by  her,  under  a  pretence 
of  gratitude,  into  a  vain  expectation  of  marrying  an  heiress  of  20 
thousand  pound.  And  swallowing  too  greedily  the  gilded  bait,  it 
proved  my  utter  ruin. 

I  know  it  is  objected  against  mee,  that  I  have  been  extravagant 
in  expences  with  several  wines.  And  I  must  confess,  that  was  the 
only  content  I  had  in  the  world,  all  other  things  proving  cross  and 
full  of  trouble  and  bitterness.  Besides  that,  I  never  frequented  either 
tavern,  or  kept  in  pension  women  of  pleasure.  And  what  money 
ever  came  to  my  hands,  excepting  about  6  or  700/.  per  annum,  in 
my  family  or  relating  therein,  went  amongst  workmen  of  all  sorts, 
for  engins  and  chargeable  experiments  to  please  and  divert  His  Ma- 
jesty ;  or  else  for  secret  service,  which  were  often  very  considerable 
sums.  Somewhat  may  bee  judg'd  by  the  paper  (E).  I  am  sure  I 
have  now  hardly  left  ten  shillings  in  the  world. 

After  all  I  would  fain  retire  and  spend  my  life  in  a  Christian  so- 
litude, and  heartily  beg  you  to  lend  me  your  helping  hand,  to  have 
my  condition  truly  represented  to  His  Majesty,  whereby  you  will 
highly  and  for  ever  oblige 

Your  most  affectionate,  humble  and  faithfull  servant, 

S.  MOELAND. 

May  3rd.  1689. 

P.S.  There  is  one  thing  that  I  omitted  in  the  abbreviat  of  my 
own  history,  which  is,  that  when  I  did  engage  to  serve  the  late 
King  Charles  2nd,  and  did  reveal  some  conspiracy  against  his  life,  yet 
at  the  same  time  I  plainly  sent  him  word  that  it  was  upon  con- 
dition, that  I  might  never  be  call'd  to  bear  witness  against  any  of  the 
conspirators,  if  upon  his  restauration,  they  should  happen  to  bee  ar- 
raigned at  the  barr  of  justice.  And  when  Sir  H.  Vane  was  ordered 
to  bee  brought  to  his  tryall,  the  Attorney-Generall  did  indeed  send 
for  mee,  and  did  very  much  press  mee  in  privat  (and  that  in  the 
King's  name)  that  I  would  appear  as  a  witness  against  him,  foras- 
much as  His  Majesty  had  been  informed  that  I  was  privy  to  many 
transactions,  where  the  said  Sir  Henry  Vane  was  principally  con- 
cerned, that  would  by  the  law  of  England  bee  adjudged  high  treason. 
But  my  answer  to  him  was  this,  that  I  hoped  His  Majesty  would 
remember  his  promise,  that  not  a  hair  of  their  heads  should  ever 
be  toucht  upon  any  account.  Besides  that  I  would  rather  be  prest  to 
death  than  come  in  judgment  against  either  him  or  any  other,  whose 
designs  I  had  formerly  discovered.  And  thereupon  went  home  to 


122  APPENDIX. 

my  house,  and  burnt  a  certain  sheet  of  paper  all  written  with  Sir 
H.  Vane's  own  hand  (which  was  a  draught  of  a  model  of  a  new 
government  with  severe  reflections  on  monarchy),  as  also  several 
other  papers,  which  would  have  been  great  evidence  against  him. 


Extract  from  another  letter  of  Sir  Samuel  Morland  to  Archbishop 
Tenison,  dated  July  20th,  1688. 

In  the  interim  I  began  to  consider  that  perhaps  I  might 

do  the  public  some  kind  of  service,  during  this  my  retired  life,  by 
explayning  in  a  new  manner  and  method,  the  first  six  books  of 
Euclid,  and  reducing  them  to  common  use  and  practice,  and  making 
all  things  plain  and  easy  to  the  meanest  capacity  ;  which  is  a  thing 
that  in  my  opinion  would  bee  of  excellent  and  singular  use,  as 
well  for  all  publick  schools  as  for  all  young  students  in  the  uni- 
versities ;  but  as  yet  has  not  been  performed  to  purpose  by  any 
author  that  I  have  seen  whatever. 


The  following  paper  is  taken  from  the  same  manuscript. 

The  proposalls  Sir  Samuel  Morland  gave  unto  Major  Wildman  for 
the  King's  secret  service  were  as  followes. 

1 .  To  open  any  letter  though  written  and  seald  up  with  all  the 
care  and  nicety  that  is  practicable  ;  and  having  coppied  out  the 
contents,   to  seal  the  same  up   again,  with  as  many  as  shall  be 
desired ;  provided  he  have  the  same  paper,  wax  and  ink,  that  the 
party  that  wrot  and  seald  it  shall  be  so  far  from  discerning  his 
letter  to  be  opend  or  disfigured,  that  he  shall  not  know  his  own 
letter  from  the  other  counterfeits. 

2.  To  wash  a  written  paper  as  white  as  before  it  was  written. 

3.  To  counterfeit  all  handwriting  so  dexterously,  that,  upon  oc- 
casion of  state,  the  king  may  send  the  coppies  and  keep  the  ori- 
ginalls  of  any  letters,  dispatches  or  other  papers,  till  any  designes 
be  ripe  for  conviction. 

4.  To  coppy  any  number  of  whole  sheets  of  paper  close  written 
on  both  sides  in  as  many  minutes  time,  with  this  advantage,  that  it 
will  be  impossible  for  the  coppies  to  be  erronious  (a). 


III.  A  Maynetical  Problem  by  Thomas  Lydyat,  from  the  Bodleian 
MS.  No.  313. 

First, — Considering  the  declination  of  the  needle  touched  with  the 

(a)  This  document  has  been  copied  "  in  a  minute  "  on  the  paper  immediately 
following  it,  and  can  be  distinctly  read  by  holding  it  to  the  light.  Next  follows 
"An  old  writing  pale,  and  almost  worn  out,  copyed  in  a  minute  from  both  sides," 
which  is,  however,  rather  indistinct. 


APPENDIX.  123 

magnes  or  loadstone,  from  the  plain  of  the  horizon,  for  shewing  of 
latitudes,  I  demand  whether  the  loadstone,  as  it  lyeth  in  its  natural 
place  and  mine  in  the  earth,  hath  not  the  two  points  of  north  and 
south  directly  respecting  the  north  and  south  poles  of  the  earth.  If 
so,  then,  whether  a  straight  steel  wire,  hung  by  the  middles  with  a 
small  thread  in  equal  balance,  and  touched  on  either  end  with  the 
north  or  south  point  of  the  stone,  will  not  likewise  directly  respect 
the  north  and  south  poles.  I  say,  touched  hard  with  the  very  end  of 
the  wire  :  not  as  the  usual  manner  is,  drawn  or  pressed  with  the  north 
or  south  end  of  the  stone,  along  from  the  middle  to  the  end  of  the 
wire :  which,  as  it  may  seem,  makes  the  needle  decline  more  than 
due. 

Secondly, — Considering  the  variation  of  the  magnetical  needle  from 
the  plain  of  the  meridian  for  shewing  of  longitudes,  I  demand  whether 
the  same  magnes  or  loadstone,  lying  in  his  natural  place  and  mine 
in  the  earth,  hath  not  as  those  two  principal  points  directly  respect- 
ing the  north  and  south  poles  of  the  earth,  so  also  every  other  two 
opposite  points  of  itself  in  the  like  natural  force  (although  not  in  the 
same  degree  offeree)  respecting  those  points  of  the  earth  whereunto 
it  hath  like  situation.  So  that,  for  example,  19  speak  only  of  three 
other  being  the  chiefest,  a  wire  touched  in  manner  aforesaid,  with  the 
vertical  or  opposite,  that  is  to  say,  uppermost  or  nethermost  point  of 
the  stone  lying  in  or  newly  taken  out  of  his  mine,  by  his  free  motion, 
will,  in  the  same  horizon,  turn  that  end  directly  up  or  down-right, 
and  take  wholly  to  itself  the  situation  and  place  of  so  much  of  the 
axis  of  that  horizon  :  and,  moreover,  there  being  a  line  drawn  round 
about  the  stone,  sequidistant  from  his  poles  of  north  and  south,  a  wire 
touched  in  that  point  thereof  that  in  the  stone's  natural  situation  re- 
specteth  the  east  or  west,  will  likewise  turn  itself  and  lie  level  in  the 
plain  of  the  same  horizon  directly  east  and  west :  and  finally,  a  wire 
likewise  touched  at  a  quarter  of  the  said  circle's  distance,  will  duly 
assume  to  itself  that  situation  and  place  where  the  plains  of  the 
meridian  of  the  same  horizon  and  sequinoctial  meet  with  and  cross 
and  cut  each  other.  I  say  still,  the  same  horizon  :  because  loadstones 
of  divers  countries  must  consequently  have  and  shew  divers  horizons 
and  meridians  with  points  correspondent ;  there  being  no  natural 
horizon  or  meridian,  or  east  and  west,  in  the  world,  as  there  is  sequi- 
noctial,  and  north  and  south. 

This  have  I  conceived  in  my  mind  many  years  since,  upon  com- 
paring of  our  countryman  Norman  his  New  Attractive,  concerning 
the  declination  of  the  magnetical  needle  by  himself  first  observed, 
and  variation  of  the  same,  with  Baptista  Porta  his  book  de  mirabili- 
bus  magnetis ;  but  hitherto  partly  I  have  not  had  fit  opportunity  to 
make  trial  thereof,  and  partly  I  have  neglected  it,  by  reason  I 
found  it  flatly  contradicted  by  D.  Gilbert  in  divers  places  of  his  books 
de  magnete,  and  also  by  some  of  my  learned  friends ;  who,  being 
asked  by  me,  whether  a  needle  touched  in  any  other  place  of  the 
loadstone  besides  the  poles,  would  respect  the  poles  in  like  manner 
as  if  it  were  touched  in  either  pole,  answered  that  it  would  in  like 
manner,  tho'  not  in  like  force,  but  by  so  much  the  weaklier  by 


124  APPENDIX. 

how  much  it  was  touched  the  farther  from  the  poles ;  and  that  being 
touched  in  the  circle  drawn  equidistant  from  the  poles,  answering 
the  sequinoctial  of  the  world,  it  would  have  no  respect  at  all.  All 
which  notwithstanding,  many  times  musing  with  myself  and  think- 
ing on  it,  and  finding  as  yet  no  other  sufficient  reason  of  the  decli- 
nation and  variation  both,  I  suppose  it  possible  and  likely  that 
the  loadstone  generally  and  totally  both  may  have  such  a  respective 
force  in  it,  as  I  have  said,  lying  in  his  natural  mine  or  newly  taken 
out  of  it;  and  also  may  retain  the  same,  and  impart  it  forcibly  enough, 
a  goodwhile  after  :  if  so  be  it  be  laid  and  kept  still  in  the  like  situ- 
ation. But  the  cause  why  few  loadstones  of  many,  do  retain  the  same, 
[which  made  Severtius,  in  his  first  book  Orbis  Catoptrici,  think  there 
were  divers  kinds  of  them,  some,  whereof  he  reports  himself  and  others 
to  have  made  sufficient  trial,  having  more  points  of  respect  (namely, 
east  and  west)  than  others,]  may  be  for  that,  for  the  most  part  with- 
out regard  they  are  laid,  or  else  by  reason  of  their  shape  they  fall  and 
lie  long  in  a  diverse  or  contrary  situation  from  that  which  was  their 
natural ;  now,  that  side  upward  which  was  downward,  now  that  side 
eastward  which  was  westward,  now  that  side  northward  which  was 
southward;  whereby  it  comes  to  pass  that  within  awhile,  as  they  are 
much  impaired  in  their  two  principal  respective  points  of  north  and 
south,  so  they  become,  as  it  were,  giddy  and  mopish,  and  at  length 
almost  quite  defective  in  the  other. 

Now,  if  this  prove  true,  I  dare  avouch,  that  thereby  is  given  a  most 
certain  and  ready  means  of  measuring  the  longitudes,  or  east  and 
west  distances ;  and  withal  a  most  easy  way  of  sailing  by  a  great 
circle,  that  is  to  say,  the  shortest  cut,  toward  what  position  or  situ- 
ation soever ;  the  vertical  touch  for  the  most  part  being  fittest  for 
this  use,  and  an  sequinoctial  for  the  other  ;  whereas  the  polar  touch 
can  demonstrate  only  the  latitudes,  although  them  of  all  other  the 
most  firmly.  But  touching  these  corollaries  there  needs  not  any 
further  discourse,  until  experimental  proof  be  made  of  the  former 
problem. 

Th.  L. 


THE  END. 


Printed  by  Richard  and  John  E.  Taylor,  Red  Lion  Court,  Fleet  Street. 


THE 

HISTORICAL    SOCIETY 

OF 

SCIENCE. 


The  object  of  the  Historical  Society  of  Science  is  to  render  mate- 
rials for  the  history  of  the  Sciences  accessible  to  the  general  reader,  by 
the  publication  of  manuscripts,  or  the  reprinting  of  very  rare  works 
connected  with  their  origin  and  progress  in  this  country  and  abroad. 

The  plan  adopted  for  carrying  this  purpose  into  effect  is  by  an  an- 
nual subscription  of  One  Pound  from  each  Member,  such  Member  being 
entitled  to  one  copy  of  each  of  the  works  published  by  the  Society. 

The  number  of  Members  is  limited  to  Six  Hundred,  and,  until  this 
limit  is  attained,  Members  are  admitted  on  the  introduction  of  one  of 
the  Council,  or  by  application  to  the  Secretary. 

All  Communications  relative  to  the  Society  to  be  addressed  to  the 
Secretary,  J.  O.  Halliwell,  Esq.,  35  Alfred  Place,  Bedford  Square, 
London. 

BANKERS. — Messrs.  COCKS,  BIDDULPH,  and  BIDDULPH,  43  Charing 
Cross. 


THE 

HISTORICAL    SOCIETY 

OF 

SCIENCE. 


PRESIDENT. 

HIS   ROYAL   HIGHNESS  THE   DUKE    OF   SUSSEX, 
K.G.,  K.T.,  G.C.H.,  D.C.L.,  F.R.S.,  &c.,  &c.,  &c.,  &c. 

VICE-PRESIDENTS. 

THE  RIGHT  HON.  THE  EARL  OF  MUNSTER,  F.R.S. 
THE  RIGHT  HON.   LORD   HOLLAND,   F.R.S. 
THE  RIGHT  REV.  THE  LORD  BISHOP  OF  DURHAM,  F.R.S. 
SIR  ROBERT  HARRY  INGLIS,  BART.,  M.P.,  LL.D.,  F.R.S. 
SIR  GEORGE  T.  STAUNTON,  BART.,  M.P.,  D.C.L.,  F.R.S. 
THE  RIGHT  HON.  SIR  LANCELOT  SHAD  WELL,  V.C. 

COUNCIL,  1840-41. 

CHARLES  PURTON  COOPER,  ESQ.  Q.C.,  D.C.L.,  F.R.S.,  F.S.A. 
THOMAS  STEPHENS  DAVIES,  ESQ.  F.R.S.  L.  &  E.,  F.S.A.      Pro- 

fessor  of  Mathematics  at  the  Royal  Military  Academy,  Woolwich. 
AUGUSTUS  DE  MORGAN,  ESQ.  V.P.R.A.S.     Prof essor  of  Mathematics 

at  University  College,  London. 

JAMES  ORCHARD  HALLIWELL,  ESQ.  F.R.S.,  F.S.A.  Sec.  8f  Treas. 
REV.  JOSEPH  HUNTER,  F.S.A.,  F.R.A.S. 
SIR  FRANCIS  PALGRAVE,  K.H.,  F.R.S. 
THOMAS  JOSEPH  PETTIGREW,  ESQ.  F.R.S.,  F.S.A.,  F.L.S. 
REV.  BADEN  POWELL,  M.A.,  F.R.S.      Savilian  Professor  of  Geometry, 

Oxford. 

SIR  J.  GARDNER  WILKINSON,  F.R.S.,  M.R.S.L.,  F.G.S. 
REV.    ROBERT  WILLIS,  M.At,  F.R.S.   JacJcsonian  Prof  essor  of  Natural 

and  Experimental  Philosophy,  Cambridge. 
THOMAS  WRIGHT,  ESQ.  M.A.,  F.S.A. 
JAMES  YATES,  ESQ.  M.A.,  F.R.S.,  F.G.S. 


LAWS 


OF  THE 


HISTORICAL   SOCIETY  OF  SCIENCE, 


1 .  That  the  Society  shall  be  entitled  the  "  HISTORICAL  SOCIETY 
OF  SCIENCE." 

2.  That  the  object  of  the  Society  shall  be  the  printing  of  early 
and  other  documents   illustrative  of  the  history  of  the  sciences  at 
home  and  abroad. 

3.  That  the  Society  shall  consist  of  six  hundred  Members,  being 
subscribers  of  One  Pound  annually ;  such  subscription  to  be  paid  in 
advance  on  or  before  the  first  Monday  in  June  in  every  year. 

4.  That  any  Member  of  the  Society  may  at  any  time  compound 
for  his  future  annual  subscriptions,  by  the  payment  of  £10  over  and 
above  his  subscription  for  the  current  year. 

5.  That  the  affairs  of  the  Society  shall  be  managed  by  a  President, 
six  Vicc-Presidents,  and  a  Council  of  twelve  Members,  (nine  of  whom 
shall  be  re- eligible)  including  a  Treasurer  and  Secretary,  which  Council 
shall  be  elected  at  the  General  Meeting  to  be  held  on  the  first  Monday 
in  June. 

6.  That  the  accompts  of  the  receipts  and  expenditure  of  the  Society 
shall  be  audited  annually  by  three  Auditors,  to  be  elected  at  the  General 

Meeting. 

7 .  That  the  funds  of  the  Society  shall  be  disbursed  in  payment  of 
necessary  expenses  incident  to  the  production  of  the  Works  of  the 
Society,  and  that  all  other  expenses  shall  be  avoided   as   much   as 
possible. 

8.  That  every  Member  not  in   arrear  of  his  annual  subscription, 
shall  be  entitled  to  one  copy  of  each  work  printed  by  the  Society. 


WORKS  IN  THE  PRESS. 


I.  Popular  treatises  on  science  of  the  middle-ages : — 1.  The  Anglo- 
Saxon  manual  of  astronomy.  2.  The  Bestiary  and  Tractatus  de  Creaturis 
of  Philip   de   Thaun,  in    Anglo-Norman   verse.     3.  The    Ymage   du 
Monde,  by  Gautier  de  Metz,  in  French  verse.     4.  A  cosmography  in 
English  verse  of  the  14th  century.  Edited  with  translations  by  Thomas 
Wright,  Esq.,  M.A.,  F.S.A. 

II.  A  collection  of  letters  written  by  Harriot,  Brereton,  Cavendish, 
Pell,  Morland,  and  other  eminent  English  mathematicians  of  the  seven- 
teenth century,  before  the  publication  of  Newton's  Principia.     Edited 
by  James  Orchard  HaUiwell,  Esq.,  F.R.S.,  F.S.A.,  F.R.A.S.,  &c. 


WORKS  SUGGESTED  FOR  PUBLICATION. 


III.  Treatises  on  Geometry  written  in  England  during  the  13th  and 
14th  centuries  ;  including  an  hitherto  inedited  treatise  on  that  subject, 
by  Roger  Bacon. 

IV.  Treatises  on  the  theory  and  practice  of  music,  of  the  fifteenth 
century.      From   a  MS.   in  the  Lansdowne  collection  in  the  British 
Museum. 

V.  An  English  treatise  on  Algorism,  or  Arithmetic,  of  the  fourteenth 
century.     From  a  MS.  in  the  Ashmolean  Museum  at  Oxford. 

VI.  The  preface  to  the  Seventh  Book  of  the  Mathematical  Collec- 
tions  of  Pappus   Alexandrinus,  in  the  original   language;    with  an 
English  translation,  and  explanatory  notes. 

VII.  An  English  tract  on  the  making  of  oils  and  medicinal  waters, 
from  a  MS.  of  the  fourteenth  century. 

VIII.  Proposals    for   mechanical    inventions   addressed    to    Queen 
Elizabeth   by  William  Bourne,  "  Master  of  the  Gravesend  Barge." 
From  a  MS.  in  the  British  Museum. 

IX.  A  catalogue  of  the  scientific  manuscripts  formerly  in  the  library 
of  Dr.  John  Dee  of  Mortlake.     From  Dee's  own  catalogue  in  the 
British  Museum. 


X.  A  collection  of  early  tracts  on  the  method  of  illuminating,  and 
on  the  materials  employed  in  that  art. 

XI.  A  collection  of  early  tracts  on  the  practice  of  lithotrity. 

XII.  Anglo-Saxon  tracts  of  the  tenth  century  on  Botany  and  Natu- 
ral History,  with  an  account  in  Anglo-Saxon  of  the  wonders  of  the 
East ;  together  with  some  middle-age  treatises  on  the  same  subjects, 
and  a  selection  of  figures  of  animals  and  plants  from  early  manuscripts. 
To  be  edited  with  translations. 

XIII.  An  original  journal  of  Edward  Fenton's  voyage  to  St.  Helena 
in  the  year  1582,  interspersed  with  scientific  observations  and  notices 
of  English  science. 

XIV.  A  description  of  the  Merva,  a  mechanical  instrument  invented 
by  Simon  Sturtevant  of  Christ's  College,  Cambridge ;  from  the  auto- 
graph manuscript  dedicated  by  the  inventor  to  James  I.     To  which 
will  be  added  biographical  notices  of  Sturtevant,  and  several  hitherto 
inedited  letters  and  documents. 

XV.  A  collection  of  early  tide  tables,  including  a  series  made  by 
John  Marshall,  temp.  Elizabeth. 

The  following  list  of  the  names  of  English  inedited  writers  is  taken 
from  the  Synopsis  Veterum  Mathematicorum  of  Dr.  Bernard,  as  being 
that  of  the  authors  which  it  was  his  intention  to  publish.  This  list 
will  receive  the  marked  attention  of  the  Council,  as  the  suggestion  of 
one  of  the  ablest  of  mathematical  antiquaries. 

Athelard,  Bede,  Bredon,  Suisset,  Wallingford,  Bradwardin,  Peckham, 
Lynne,  Swinshed,  Monke,  Grosteste,  Rede,  Wyrcestre,  Evesham, 
Ashenden,  Batecomb,  Killingworth,  Caerleon,  Holywood,  Bacon, 
Burroughs,  Chylmead. 

Gentlemen  wishing  to  join  the  Society  are  requested  to  send  their  names 
received  at  the  Society's  bankers. 

to  the  SECRETARY,  35  Alfred  Place,  Bedford  Square,  London.     Subscriptions 
BANKERS. — Messrs.  COCKS,  BIDDULPH  and  BIDDULPH,  43  Charing-Cross. 


MEMBERS. 


HIS  ROYAL  HIGHNESS  THE  DUKE   OF  SUSSEX, 
K.G.,  K.T.,   G.C.H.,  D.C.L.,  F.R.S.,  &c.,  &c.,  &c.,  &c.,  President. 

ALLEN,  JOHN,  Esq. 

Annesley,  James,  Esq.,  F.R.S.,  F.S.A. 

Arden,  Joseph,  Esq. 

Atkinson,  William,  Esq.,  Weaste  Lodge,  near  Manchester. 

Attwood,  Benjamin,  Esq. 

Aungier,  George  James,  Esq. 

Baily,  Francis,  Esq.,  D.C.L.,    V.P,R.S.,    V.P.R.A.S.,  Hon.  M.R.I.A.,  F.L.S., 

F.G.S.,  Member  of  the  French  Institute. 
Bartlett,  James,  Esq.,  Blandford. 
Bell,  John,  Esq.,  Gateshead. 
Bernard,  Charles  Edward,  Esq.,  C.  E.,  Cardiff. 
Bickersteth,  Robert,  Esq.,  Liverpool. 
Birmingham  Public  Library. 
Bishop,  George,  Esq.,  Treas.  R.A.S. 
Black,  William  Henry,  Esq. 
Bosworth,  Rev.  Joseph,  LL.D.,  F.R.S.,  F.S.A.,  M.R.S.L.,  English  Chaplain  at 

Rotterdam. 

Botfield,  Beriah,  Esq.,  M.P.,  M.A.,F.R.S.,  F.S.A.,  F.R.A.S.,  M.R.S.L. 
Bright,  Benjamin  Heywood,  Esq. 

Bromhead,  Sir  Edward  F.,  Bart.,  M.A.,  F.R.S.L.  &  E.,  F.R.A.S. 
Brown,  Samuel  Cowper,  Esq.,  F.S.A.,  Shillingford  Cross,  Devon. 
Browne,  Edward  Henry,  Esq. 
Browne,  William  Meredith,  Esq. 

Bruce,  John,  Esq.,  F.S.A.,  Treasurer  of  the  Camden  Society. 
Cabbell,  Benjamin  Bond,  Esq.,F.R.S.,  F.S.A.,  V.P.R.I.,  M.R.S.L. 
Cahusac,  J.  A.,  Esq.,  F.S.A. 
Cartwright,  Samuel,  Esq.,  F.S.A.,  F.G.S. 
Chappell,  W'illiam,  Esq.,  F.S.A. 
Charles,  S.,  Esq.,  Trinity  College,  Cambridge. 
Chasles,  M.,  Member  of  the  French  Institute. 
Colborne,  William,  Esq.,  Chippenham. 
Cook,  Gordon,  Esq. 


Cooper,   Charles  Purton,  Esq.,   Q.C.,  D.C.L.,  F.R.S.,  F.S.A.,  Hon.  M.R.I.A., 

M.R.S.L.,  M.R.A.S. 
Copland,  James,  M.D.,  F.R.S. 
Corney,  Bolton,  Esq. 

Cottenham,  the  Right  Hon.  Lord,  Lord  High  Chancellor  of  Great  Britain. 
Cramer,  Rev.  John  Anthony,  D.D.,  Public  Orator  in  the  University  of  Oxford, 

and  Principal  of  New-Inn-Hall. 
Crichton,  Sir  Alexander,  Grand   Cross  of  St.  Anne  and  St.  Vladimir,  M.D., 

F.R.S.,  F.L.S.,  F.G.S. 
Cull,  Richard,  Esq. 
Cureton,  Rev.  William,  M.A.,  F.R.S.,  F.S.A.,  Keeper  of  the  Oriental  Manuscripts 

in  the  British  Museum. 
Davies,  Thomas  Stephens,  Esq.,  F.R.S.L.  &E.,  F.S.A.,  Professor  of  Mathematics 

at  the  Royal  Military  Academy,  Woolwich. 
Deck,  Norris,  Esq. 
Dell,  Thomas,  Esq.,  Aylesbury. 
De  Morgan,  Augustus,  Esq.,  V.P.R.A.S.,  Professor  of  Mathematics  at  University 

College,  London. 

Diamond,  Hugh  W.,  Esq.,  F.S.A. 
Diamond,  John  Ross,  Esq. 
Dodd,  George,  Esq.,  F.S.A. 
Dowling,  William,  Esq. 
Drake,  Thomas,  Esq. 

Durham,  Right  Rev.  Edward,  Lord  Bishop  of,  D.D.,  F.R.S.,  F.S.A.,  VICE-PRE- 
SIDENT. 

Exley,  Rev.  Thomas,  M.A.,  Bristol. 

Faraday,  Michael,  Esq.,  D.C.L.,  F.R.S. ,  Hon.  M.R.S.E.,  F.G.S.,  Member  of  the 
French  Institute,  and  Fullerian  Professor  of  Chemistry  at  the  Royal  In- 
stitution. 

Fletcher,  Thomas  William,  Esq.,  F.R.S.,  F.S.A.,  Dudley,  Worcestershire. 
Frewen,  John,  Esq. 
Frewen,  Thomas,  Esq. 
Gaskin,  Rev.   Thomas,  M.A.,  F.R.S.,    F.R.A.S.,  Fellow  and    Tutor  of  Jesus 

College,  Cambridge. 
Gilbert,  Ralph  George,  Esq. 
Godwin,  George,  Jun.,  Esq.,  F.R.S.,  F.S.A. 
Griffith,  John,  Esq.,  B.A.,  St.  John's  College,  Cambridge. 
Grundy,  John,  Esq. 

Guest,  Edwin,  Esq.,  M.A.,  F.R.S.,  Fellow  of  Cairn  College,  Cambridge. 
Gurney,  Hudson,  Esq.,  F.R.S.,  V.P.S.A.,  M.R.S.L. 
Hall,  Charles,  Esq. 
Hallam,  Henry,  Esq.,M.A.,  F.R.S.,  V.P.S.A.,F.G.S.,  F.R.A.S.,V.P.R.SJL,  Trust. 

Brit.  Mus.  and  Member  of  the  French  Institute. 

Halliwell,  James  Orchard,  Esq.,  F.R.S.,  F.S.A.L.  &  E.,  F.R.A.S.,  M.R.S.L., 
English  Correspondent  of  the  French  Historical  Committee  of  Sciences, 
SEC.  &  TREAS. 

Halliwell,  Richard,  Esq.,  F.S.A. 
Halliwell,  Rev.  Thomas,  M.A. 


Harding,  E.  T.,  Esq.,  Librarian  to  the  King  of  Hanover. 

Hardy,  Peter,  Esq.,  F.R.S. 

Heywood,  James,  Esq.,  F.R.S. ,  F.S.A.,  V.P.S.S. 

Hind,  the  Rev.  John,  M.A.,  F.R.A.S.,  F.C.P.S.,  Cambridge. 

Holland,  Henry  Richard  Vassal  Lord,  F.R.S.,  F.S.A.     VICE-PRESIDENT. 

Hollier,  Richard,  Esq.,  F.S.A. 

Hunter,  Evan  Haynes,  Esq.,  B.A. 

Hunter,  Rev.  Joseph,    F.S.A.,  F.R.A.S.,  Assistant  Keeper  of  Her  Majesty's 

Records. 

Huxley,  George  K.,  Esq. 
Inglis,  Sir  Robert  Harry,  Bart.,  M.P.,  LL.D.,  F.R.S.,  F.S.A.,  F.R.A.S.,  Trust. 

Brit.  Mus.,  VICE-PRESIDENT. 

Irving,  David,  Esq.,  LL.D.,  Advocates'  Librarian,  Edinburgh. 
Irving,  John,  Esq.,  Bristol. 
Jerdan,  William,  Esq.,  F.S.A.,  M.R.S.L. 
Jessep,  Joseph  George,  Esq. 

Johnson,  Manuel,  Esq.,  M.A.,  F.R.A.S.,  Radcliffe  Observer,  Oxford. 
Johnston,  E.,  Esq. 

Jones,  Rev.  H.  Longuevile,  M.A.,  Paris. 
Jones,  Rev.  John,  M.A.,  Bardd  Tegid. 
Kater,  Edward,  Esq.,  F.R.S. 

Konig,  Charles,  Esq.,  K.H.,  F.R.S.,  Hon.  M.R.I.A.,  F.L.S. 
Langdale,  Right  Hon.  Lord,  Master  of  the  Rolls. 
Lawson,  Andrew,  Esq.,  Boroughbridge. 
Lee,  John,  LL.D.,  F.R.S.,  F.S.A.,  F.R.A.S. 
Lewis,  H.  R.,  Esq. 

Libri,  M.,  Member  of  the  French  Institute. 
Lillington,  Alfred,  Esq.,  Southwold. 
Lincoln  Permanent  Library,  the. 
Lloyd,  Rev.  Humphrey,  M.A.,  F.R.S.,  V.P.R.I.A.,  Fellow  of   Trinity  College, 

and  Professor  of  Natural  Philosophy  in  the  University  of  Dublin. 
Lockwood,  Joseph  D'Alby,  Esq. 
Logan,  Rev.  H.  F.  C.,  Professor  of  Mathematics  in  the  CoUege  of  St.  Mary, 

Oscott. 

Lovelace,  the  Right  Hon.  the  Earl  of. 
Mackenzie,  John  W.,  Esq.,  W.  S.,  Edinburgh. 
Madden,    Sir  Frederick,  K.H.,  F.R.S.,  F.S.A.,  Hon.  M.R.I.A.,  Keeper  of  the 

Manuscripts  in  the  British  Museum. 

Maitland,  Rev.  S.  R.,  F.R.S.,  Librarian  to  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury. 
Meyrick,  Sir  Samuel  Rush,  K.H.,  LL.D.,  F.S.A. 
Montrose  Antiquarian  Society. 
Moore,  Thomas,  Esq.,  F.S.A. 
Munster,  George  Earl  of,  F.R.S.,  F.S.A.,  V.P.R.A.S.,  M.R.S.L.,  Member  of  the 

French  Institute.    VICE-PRESIDENT. 
Myers,  Sir  F.  Waskett,  K.C.S. 
Northampton,  The  Most  Noble  Spencer  Joshua,  Marquis  of,  President  of  the 

Royal  Society,  Trust.  Brit.  Mus.,  D.C.L.,  F.S.A.,  Hon.  M.R.I.A.,  F.G.S. 
Nichols,  John  Gough,  Esq.,  F.S.A. 


8 

Nurse,  William  Mountford,  Esq. 

Page,  Peter,  Esq.,  East  Sheen. 

Palgrave,  Sir  Francis,  K.H.,  F.R.S.,  Deputy  Keeper  of  Her  Majesty's  Records. 

Paris,  Bibliotheque  du  Hoi. 

Peacock,  The  Very  Rev.  George,  D.D.,  Dean  of  Ely,  V.P.R.S.,  F.G.S.,  Lovm- 
dean  Professor  of  Astronomy,  Cambridge. 

Petit,  Louis  Hayes,  Esq.,  M.A.,  F.R.S.,  F.S.A.,  F.L.S.,  F.R.A.S.,  V.P.R.S.L. 

Pettigrew,  Thomas  Joseph,  Esq.,  F.R.S.,  F.S.A.,  F.L.S. 

Pettigrew,  W.  V.,  Esq.,  M.D. 

Phillipps,  Sir  Thomas,  Bart.,  M.A.,  F.R.S.,  F.S.A.,  F.G.S.,  Hon.  M.R.S.L. 

Platt,  Thomas  Joshua,  Esq.,  Q.C. 

Pocock,  Charles  Innes,  Esq.,  Bristol. 

Poison,  Archer,  Esq. 

Powell,  Rev.  Baden,  M.A.,  F.R.S.,  F.R.A.S.,  Savilian  Professor  of  Geometry, 
Oxford. 

Prothero,  Thomas,  Esq. 

Rainy,  Alexander,  Esq. 

Read,  John,  Esq.,  Derwent  Hall,  Sheffield. 

Reece,  Richard,  Esq.,  F.S.A.,  Cardiff. 

Richards,  John,  Jun.,  Esq.,  F.S.A. 

Rigaud,  Gibbes,  Esq. 

Rigaud,  John,  Esq.,  Magdalen  College,  Oxford. 

Rigaud  Rev.  Stephen  Jordan,  B.A.,  F.R.A.S.,  Fellow  of  Exeter  College,  Oxford. 

Rimbault,  E.  F.,  Esq.,  Secretary  of  the  Percy  Society. 

Roberton,  John  David,  Esq.,  Assist.  Sec.  R.S. 

Robinson,  George,  Esq. 

Robinson,  John,  Esq.,  Chiswick. 

Rokewode,  John  Gage,  Esq.,  F.R.S.,  Director  S.A.,  F.L.S. 

Rutherford,  William,  Esq.,  F.R.A.S.,  Professor  of  Mathematics  at  the  Royal  Mili- 
tary Academy,  Woolwich. 

Savory,  Thomas  Field,  Esq.,  F.S.A. 

Shadwell,  Right  Hon.  Sir  Lancelot,  M.A.,  Vice- Chancellor  of  England.  VICE- 
PRESIDENT. 

Shipp,  William,  Esq. 

Smeeton,  George,  Esq. 

Smith,  Aquilla,  M.D.,  M.R.I. A. 

Smith,  Rev.  John  James,  M.A.,  Fellow  and  Tutor  of  Caius  College,  Cambridge. 

Smith,  Rev.  John  Pye,  D.D.,  F.R.S. 

Smith,  William,  Esq. 

Smyth,  William  Henry,  Esq.,  Capt.  R.N.,  K.S.F.,  F.R.S.,  F.S.A.,  Hon.  M.R.I.A., 
For.  Sec.  R.A.S.,  Member  of  the  French  Institute,  Cardiff. 

Snow,  John  Pennell,  Esq.,  Trinity  College,  Cambridge. 

Sotheby,  S.  Leigh,  Esq. 

Stapleton,  Thomas,  Esq.,  F.S.A. 

Staunton,  J.,  Esq.,  M.D.,  Talton,  Worcestershire. 

Staunton,  Sir  George  Thomas,  Bart.,  M.P.,  D.C.L.,  F.R.S.,  F.S.A.,  V.P.R.  Asiat.  S., 
Hon.  M.R.S.L.,  F.L.S.  VICE-PRESIDENT. 

Stephens,  Archibald  John,  Esq.,  M.A.,  F.R.S.,  F.Z.S. 


Stokes,  George,  Esq.,  Colchester. 

Swanston,  Clement  Tudway,  Esq.,  Q.C.,  F.R.S.,  F.S.A. 

Sylvester,  James  Joseph,  Esq.,  F.R.S.,  F.R.A.S.,  Professor  of  Natural  Philo- 
sophy and  Astronomy  at  University  College,  London. 

Taylor,  Richard,  Esq.,  F.S.A.,  F.L.S.,  F.G.S.,  F.R.A.S. 

Tharp,  John,  Esq.,  Chippenham  Park,  Cambridgeshire. 

Thomson,  F.  Hale,  Esq. 

Thornhill,  Walter,  Esq. 

Todd,  Rev.  J.  H.,  D.D.,  M.R.I.A.,  Fellow  of  Trinity  College,  Dublin. 

Townsend,  Rev.  George,  Prebendary  of  Durham. 

Turner,  Dawson,  Esq.,  F.R.S.,  F.S.A.,  Hon.  M.R.I.A.,  F.L.S.,  M.R.S.L. 

Turner,  John,  Esq. 

Turner,  Thomas  Hudson,  Esq. 

Tyssen,  John  Robert  Daniel,  Esq.,  F.S.A.,  Hackney. 

Valle,  Frederick,  Esq. 

Walker,  John,  Esq.,  Cornhill,  Northumberland. 

Warwick,  W.  A.,  Esq. 

Way,  Albert,  Esq.,  F.S.A. 

Weightman,  Hugh,  Esq.,  B.A. 

Weyer,  His  Excellency  M.  Van  de,  Belgian  Minister. 

Whatman,  James,  Esq. 

Wilkinson,  Sir  J.  Gardner,  F.R.S.,  Hon.  M.R.S.L.,  F.G.S. 

Williamson,  Rev.  E.  R.,  M.A.,  Hon.  Sec.  to  the  Bedfordshire  General  Library. 

Willis,  Rev.  Robert,  M.A.,  F.R.S.,  F.G.S.,  Jacksonian  Professor  of  Natural 
and  Experimental  Philosophy,  Cambridge. 

Wright,  Edwin  W.,  Esq. 

Wright,  J.  H.  C.,  Esq. 

Wright,  Thomas,  Esq.,  M.A.,  F.S.A. 

Wynter,  Rev.  Philip,  D.D.,  President  of  St.  John's  College,  Oxford. 

Wynter,  Rev.  James  Cecil,  M.A.,  Gatton,  Surrey. 

Yates,  James,  Esq.,  M.A.,  F.R.S.,  F.G.S. 

Yates,  Joseph  B.,  Esq.,  F.S.A. 


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